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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22930609">Wings</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Superbeans/pseuds/Superbeans'>Superbeans</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Character Death, Family, Sad, Suicide, journey fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:02:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>55,504</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22930609</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Superbeans/pseuds/Superbeans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Just how far can a soul be stretched before it shatters? </p><p>Sparky the Emolga finds out one fateful morning. Like a feather caught in a breeze, happiness is a fragile thing. The slightest change can turn bliss into bedlam.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Someone's Missing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Warning: This series contains themes which may be unsuited to younger audiences, notably suicide and other dark themes. For those sensitive to the issue, please take care, and read at your own risk.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Accumula Town never was the busiest of places, only really serving as a gateway for those venturing to nearby Striaton. The famed Professor Cypress may have lived just a few kilometres away, but this sleepy little hamlet survived on a gentle trickle of tourism.</p><p>Besides, some liked it that way.</p><p>Around the corner, across the field and alongside a row of trees sat a quaint little house. Tumbledown and half overtaken by vines, the tiny abode was home to a family of four.</p><p>Roused by a thin beam of light creeping its way through the badly closed curtains was Sparky the Emolga. With a stretch prickling its way down her back, she yawned animatedly, rubbed her eyes, and peeled away from the enormous beanbag she’d practically submerged into. The beanbag crumpled and Socks the Furret flopped from around the shoulders of Sir Higglesworth the Kadabra and folded up around herself like an accordion. Sparky thanked her lucky stars that both of them remained asleep.</p><p>Sparky liked her name. It was a <em>nice</em> name, and easy to remember because she could make sparks and stuff. It wasn’t as funny as Sir Higgleworth’s, or as cute as Socks’, but her lovely trainer gave her this name, and because of that it was lovely.</p><p>And with that thought, her memory was spurred. Sparky jumped and scrabbled in her efforts to climb onto the big bed next to the beanbag, but confusion blossomed at the sight of a lot of nothing.</p><p>“…huh? Where’s Miss Holly?” Sparky mumbled. The sheets were all crumpled and stuff, which meant Miss Holly had slept there last night, and she <em>definitely </em>remembered her trainer tucking them in, plus Miss Holly was at that age where humans were lazy, so there was no way she was gonna get out of bed before the rest of them, especially her. Because Sparky always had lots of energy, and was always <em>always </em>the first one to get up in the mornings.</p><p>But her trainer wasn’t in bed. And that was weird, because there was this one time where Miss Holly stayed in bed until <em>lunchtime</em>, and Sparky’s stomach had been groaning at her for <em>hours </em>at that point.</p><p>Sparky tapped fingers against her chin. Was it a special day or something?</p><p>Her eyes lit up. Maybe Miss Holly was making a special breakfast for the special day?!</p><p>A soft tingle started rumbling from somewhere deep within her at the thought of Miss Holly’s homemade poffins – always perfect, and always a different combination of berries!</p><p>With a gasp, Sparky leapt from the bed and landed softly on the carpet. Sir Higglesworth and Socks stayed where they were as she scampered down the hallway. Practically gliding down the stairs, the thought of poffins was almost too much to resist!</p><p>But after scrabbling to a halt on the kitchen lino with a notable lack of poffins to smell, confusion struck again.</p><p>“Hmm... Miss Holly isn’t preparing a super special breakfast?”</p><p>Maybe getting excited over nothing wasn’t the best of approaches. Whatever Miss Holly was doing this early, she probably had her reasons. A cursory scoot into the sitting room let her confirm that her trainer wasn’t in there, either.</p><p>The Saturday sun was getting ever higher in the sky, casting a golden glow onto the squishy pink carpet and beaten up old couch. Miss Holly wasn’t even knitting in her chair like she always liked to do, either.</p><p>“Where is she…?” Sparky said. A shadow flashed past the room for a brief moment and Sparky’s excitement rose again. Had Miss Holly gone to the shops? It was a bit early to do that but maybe?</p><p>But it withered and died quickly when no one tried to open the front door. A wavy bluish silhouette wobbled up close to the lumpy windows, but it was only the mail lady because one, two three letters flopped through the mailbox instead of Miss Holly.</p><p>Sparky picked them up and rearranged them by colour; red first because that was an important colour, then the two yellowish ones.</p><p>“I wish I could read human…” she squinted at the squiggles. “Ahh well. Once I find Miss Holly, she can read them to me!”</p><p>Another slow venture had Sparky toddling up the stairs once again, passing by the photos on the wall. They were always fun to look at, because Miss Holly liked taking photos of them all and they were like a diary but with pictures instead of words because they showed what Miss Holly was like years ago.</p><p>There was the picture of her and Sir Higglesworth, back when he was an Abra and she was younger. Then there was the one where Socks joined her as a shy little Sentret, huddling close to her. Because Miss Holly was a careful and patient trainer, Sir Higglesworth quickly turned into a Kadabra and Socks became a Furret in no time.</p><p>Sparky didn’t meet up with Miss Holly until after she’d gotten on the big boat and moved to Unova, but she remembered it like it was yesterday. She had gotten up early – a lot like today! – and gathered herself a big pile of Chesto Berries for breakfast because they were her favourite. But a silly Natu flew past and shocked her, and she fell out of her tree.</p><p>The next thing she knew she was inside a pokeball, and then a part of Miss Holly’s family. Sir Higglesworth was the first one to reach out to her, teaching her the rules and nice things about being Miss Holly’s Pokémon, and why it was better than being a wild Pokémon.</p><p>The last photo on the stairs was taken outside the house they lived in now. The ivy wasn’t as bad back then, but it was a really windy day that day and the autumn leaves were blowing everywhere and so was Miss Holly’s hair.</p><p>“She looks so tired in this picture…” Sparky mumbled. Her trainer was still smiling, but there were dark rings under her eyes. She was also wearing a long hoodie instead of one of her usual t-shirts, though that could’ve been because it was windy.</p><p>“So many fun memories…” She said, looking away from the nostalgia and hopping up the last stair. The bathroom was just ahead, and it was about time she washed her face.</p><p>“I’ll give these to Miss Holly later.” She dropped the letters down on the little table outside and pushed the door open. She stumbled up the steps to reach the kitchen sink and made sure to pay extra attention to the sleepy dust in her eyes. But then an unusual sight in the mirror caught her attention.</p><p>“Huh…?” She span around, squinting. “Hey, wow!</p><p>Jumping down from the little steps, Sparky finally found her trainer. “Miss Holly, I didn’t know you could fly!”</p><p>But weirdly enough, Holly did not respond.</p><p>“Does it take a lot of concentration to fly like that?” Sparky prompted again.</p><p>Still no response.</p><p>“Oh yeah, I don’t speak human do I?” She chuckled. “I know! I’ll go get everyone! Stay there Miss Holly I’ll be right back!”</p><p>Sparky zipped back down the hallway and into the bedroom, where both Socks and Sir Higglesworth were still fast asleep.</p><p>“Guys, come quick!” Sparky shook the pair of them awake. “It’s amazing!”</p><p>“…what is it, Sparky?” Sir Higglesworth’s deep voice grumbled. With a heavy sigh, the Kadabra rose slowly and smoothly from his sleeping position. Socks remained asleep.</p><p>“It’s Miss Holly!” Sparky cried. “She’s <em>flying!”</em></p><p>“Flying…?” Sir Higglesworth faltered. His mind still foggy, he summoned the energy to raise an eyebrow at Sparky. Was this another one of her pranks?</p><p>“Come quick, I’ll show you!” She tried to grab Sir Higglesworth’s arm and drag him out of the beanbag.</p><p>“Alright, all <em>right, </em>Sparky…” He grumbled again, rising to his feet. Meanwhile the still sleeping Socks just uncoiled on top of the beanbag.</p><p>“Flying. Peh.” Sir Higglesworth yawned, slowly padding after Sparky along the soft carpet. “I shall believe that when I see it. Whatever has her so excitable today is beyond me.”</p><p>“C’monnn, Higgle!” Sparky flailed at the bathroom door. “Miss Holly can’t fly forever!”</p><p>“I assure you, Sparky,” Sir Higglesworth rose a knowing finger. “Believe what you will, but humans cannot-”</p><p> </p><p>And then he <em>saw</em>. Panic curdled within him like a viscous slime, and his spoon fell to the ground with a clatter. For a few moments, all he could do was stare.</p><p>“See? See! I told ya she could fly!” Sparky just jumped about in her excitement.</p><p>“Y-y-yes, it is… indeed, a rather brilliant example of flying!” Sir Higglesworth’s voice cracked. “Did you want some breakfast, Sparky? I’m awfully hungry all of a sudden!”</p><p>“No way, not yet!” Sparky cried. “I’ve gotta show Socks! She’ll wanna see this!”</p><p>“No no no, don’t do that!” Sir Higglesworth said sharply, but it fell on deaf ears as Sparky charged out of the bathroom again.</p><p>Sir Higglesworth groaned. That was not going to end well, he could already tell.</p><p>But there was a more pressing issue at hand.</p><p>“Lady Holly, respond!” He snapped his fingers. Holly did nothing.</p><p>“Lady Holly I implore you, please respond!” He cried, floating up and shaking her by the shoulders. His efforts were in vain…</p><p>Meanwhile Socks was continuing to prod Socks in an attempt to rouse her.</p><p>“C’mon Socks! C’monnnnnnn!” She poked the young Furret repeatedly.</p><p>“Noo, I don’t wanna go to Day Care…” Socks mumbled in her half-asleep state, rolling over and burying herself farther into the beanbag. “…you can’t make me.”</p><p>“Gah!” Sparky grumbled. But with a glint in her eye, she charged up a little spark of electricity in her palm and jabbed Socks with the static.</p><p>“Yagh!” Socks yelped, bursting out of the beanbag and several feet into the air. “W-what the?!”</p><p>“Oh yay, you’re awake!” Sparky giggled, curling her hand into a fist behind her back.</p><p>“…yup, I’m up.” Socks said, smacking her lips. “But not for long. Come at me, beanbag.”</p><p>She spread her little arms out and collapsed forward toward the beanbag.</p><p>“Nooo, no no no, no more sleep!” Sparky dove underneath Socks to hold her up. “I’ve gotta show you something! It’s awesome!”</p><p>“Wha? Awesome?” Socks murmured, a shudder rippling along her skinny body as she stretched. “What’s awesome?”</p><p>“Miss Holly’s flying!” Sparky said. “Come see!”</p><p>“Flying?” Sparky frowned, her voice just as sceptical as Sir Higglesworth’s. She rubbed her eyes, “Whaddya mean flying? She’s a human. Humans can’t fly… can they?”</p><p>“Yeah, I thought that myself!” Sparky said. “B-but then I saw it and Sir Higglesworth agrees with me, and he knows everything so it’s gotta be true!”</p><p>“Higgle says so?” Socks’ eyes widened. “S-so you’re <em>not </em>making it all up?”</p><p>“Nope! It really really is true! Quick, come see!”</p><p>“Alrighty then…” Socks yawned. “You’re gonna have to drag me though. My legs are still asleep.”</p><p>Sparky just chuckled, grabbing onto a leg and attempting to drag Socks’ lazy body towards the bathroom, where a panicky Sir Higglesworth was still fretting.</p><p>“Oh bother, what shall I do?!” He pleaded with the very air. The odds of an ingenious answer spawning from the ether before more innocent eyes could be scarred were slim at best. But the grunting of Sparky dragging Socks’ unwilling body ever closer was going to have to force some drastic measures.</p><p>“That will have to do!” He exited the room and closed the door sharply. Just in time for Socks and Sparky to appear from around the corner.</p><p>“Heyyy, Higgle!” Sparky grunted, still dragging Socks for all she was worth. “Is Miss Holly still flying?!”</p><p>“Umm…” Sir Higglesworth merely plastered on a smile.</p><p>“Aww, don’t tell me she made it up?” Socks’ face fell. “And I fell for it again?! Stupid Socks, stupid!”</p><p>“No no, Lady Holly is indeed flying!” Sir Higglesworth stammered. “She just wishes for more time to practice and improve her technique, so that she may impress you further next time!”</p><p>“But I haven’t seen <em>this </em>time yet…” Socks mumbled. “C-can I see Trainer now please?”</p><p>“I am afraid she has locked the door, Socks!” Sir Higglesworth flailed an excuse. “She must <em>really </em>want to practice!”</p><p>“Locked?” Socks gave a suspicious frown. “…that door has a lock?”</p><p>“Yes it does, Socks!” Sir Higglesworth insisted, slapping her hand as she reached for the handle.</p><p>“Oww! Hey, what was that for, Higgle?!” Socks recoiled.</p><p>“That was for disbelieving in my integrity.” Sir Higglesworth snapped. “Now, please refrain from repeating that in the future. I <em>abhor</em> being doubted.”</p><p>“…okay, you just said a lotta really long words…” Socks yawned. “But whatever it means, I don’t agree with it. I wanna see trainer flying!”</p><p>“And I am under strict instruction to prevent that from happening!” Sir Higglesworth followed his arms. “I do apologise Socks, but Lady Holly has left me in charge. Now shall we put this awful moment behind us and get some breakfast?”</p><p>“Breakfast?!” Both girls shouted at once.</p><p>“It’s about time!” Sparky practically swooped downstairs. “I’ve been waiting all morning!”</p><p>Socks ambled after Sparky, wobbling down the stairs with her long, unwieldy body, and Sir Higglesworth watched the both of them disappear from eyeshot.</p><p>Before immediately breaking down.</p><p>“Oh, heavens above…” he sniffled. Hot, stinging guilt threatened to break loose from his depths. “Why did you do it, Lady Holly? Was there anything I could have done?”</p><p>“C’monnn, Higgle!” Socks’ voice echoed from downstairs. “Breakfast means you gotta make it dude! Don’t trust me with fire!”</p><p>Sir Higglesworth stared blankly at the row of photos on the wall. “…how will I tell them?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Scars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>An ashen faced Sir Higglesworth took slow, lumbering steps down the stairs, the wrenching feeling of guilt gnawing away at his insides.</p><p>“Whatever happened?” He mumbled to no one. “Oh Lady Holly, if only you had told – hm?”</p><p>The soft carpeting of the hallway floor had suddenly changed to a sticky, messy one. Sir Higglesworth looked down and found a perfectly stubborn patch of syrup seeping under the doorway.</p><p>“Oh dear… what have those two done…” He sighed, wobbling on one foot to minimise the mess. “N-now is not the time to worry. I must keep our family together! Lady Holly would be displeased if I just let things fall apart.”</p><p>He edged the kitchen door opened and hopped through, before immediately snorting in disgust as the acrid stench of smoke invaded his nostrils. “Wh-what has happened here?”</p><p>“About time, Higgle!” Socks squeaked, her face black with smoke – along with the chef’s hat she’d acquired from somewhere – but her eyes shining with achievement. “Remember when I said you shouldn’t trust me with fire? Well these are only burned so there!”</p><p>Sir Higglesworth groaned heavily. ‘Only’ burned wasn’t quite the phrase. In the few minutes it took him to get downstairs, the sink had been piled high with dirty dishes, an enormous bottle of syrup had been spilled over the floor, and both Sparky and Socks were sitting on stools to avoid it. To their credit though, they had managed to cook a stack of pancakes, which were also drowned in syrup and swaying dangerously.</p><p>“Didn’t we do awesome?!” Sparky giggled, also wearing a chef’s hat. She casually threw the spatula she was holding, which landed in the mess of syrup on the floor with a damp slap.</p><p>Sir Higglesworth sighed once more. “Y-yes, good job girls. Now shall we move to the kitchen?”</p><p>“Err…” Socks said. “I dunno if you’ve noticed, but the floor’s all syrupy, Higgle.”</p><p>His grimace stretched wider. “Yes, Socks. I had noticed.”</p><p>“How could he miss it, Socks? It’s everywhere!” Sparky laughed, provoking a tiny moan from the Furret.</p><p>Yet more distractions. How lovely. Sparky was practically glowing when he pried the stack of pancakes from her and splashed across the syrupy floor into the kitchen, but all of this was hardly necessary. A distraction from reality, maybe, but sooner or later he was going to have to burst that happy bubble.</p><p>How long would they last before someone got suspicious? An hour? A few hours? A couple of days?</p><p>They said ignorance was bliss, Sir Higglesworth mused to himself. Reality was certainly torturous enough to have him believe it. Was the rest of their time together going to be naught but lies?</p><p>The plate hit the table with a dull clatter. After opening a window to clear out some of the smoke, he fell into the nearest seat as Socks balled herself up into an adjacent seat, and Sparky scampered up a stack of books to reach hers.</p><p>“Heyyy, why’re you in Trainer’s seat, Higgle?” Socks’ head tilted sideways. “What if she gets hungry for these amazing pancakes we made?”</p><p>“…r-right!” Higgle stammered, shuffling around to the other side of the table. “Sorry Socks, I was just… rather distracted. I-I shall get those pancakes served now.”</p><p>The pancakes were easily shared out into <em>four</em> piles, for the girls’ sakes. Floating pancakes wasn’t much, but it was something he could still do at least. How dull his powers had grown over the years. He was a laughingstock. He couldn’t he have known? What manner of Psychic-type was he, to fail at basic telepathy? To not even know when his beloved trainer needed him most?</p><p>He was a disgrace of a Pokémon. If he couldn’t protect his trainer, then what use was he? It was all just so-</p><p>“Hey Higgle, gonna eat those?”</p><p>The angry mist thinned out, and Socks’ wide eyes blurred into his vision. Her eyes were wide and hopeful.</p><p>It was them. It had to be. He’d failed Lady Holly, but absolutely could not fail Socks and Sparky, no matter the cost. They were all he had.</p><p>Higgle summoned up a response, “…oh. Y-you can have them, Socks. I am not that hungry today.”</p><p>“Awesome, thanks again Higgle! You’re a star!”</p><p>All but one of his pancakes were swiped away, removed from his static line of vision. But of course, a fresh batch of guilt surged through his system at the sight of Holly’s empty seat, with her pancakes just sitting innocently in front of it.</p><p>A sudden twinge forced him to blink and look away. How long had he just been staring? His eyes were starting to hurt from it. This wasn’t good; he was unravelling already. For the good of the girls, he had to stay strong.</p><p>“M-make sure that you do not touch Lady Holly’s breakfast, okay girls?” He stammered, dismounting his seat with a flourish. “Like you said Socks, she may become… hungry.”</p><p>“Sure thing, Higgle!” She beamed at him, mouth bulging with pancakes. Socks’ smile slowly eroded as she watched Higgle slowly walk through the kitchen, not even caring about the syrup on the floor anymore.</p><p>That was weird. He was so mad about it earlier.</p><p>“H-hey, is it just me,  or is Higgle acting kinda weird today?” She said to Sparky.</p><p>“Iunno?” Sparky shrugged, swallowing down her weight in pancakes. “I guess he’s just shocked about Miss Holly flying, maybe?”</p><p>“Huh. Must’ve been a big surprise then,” Socks glanced over to the sole uneaten pancakes. “I mean, he didn’t touch his food, and he loves pancakes.”</p><p>“He loves <em>Miss Holly’s </em>pancakes.” Sparky raised a knowing finger.</p><p>“That’s true…” Socks mumbled. "Trainer’s pancakes are the best in the world, huh?”</p><p>“Mm-hmm!”</p><p>“A-and she’s gonna be so proud of us when she sees that we made breakfast on our own! I mean sure,  we made some mess, got the place a little smoky, but the food’s great and we only set the house on fire once!”</p><p>“Not to mention me getting the stove started by myself!”</p><p>“Yeah, that was amazing Sparky! Where’d you learn that?!”</p><p>“You know those clicky sounds it normally makes before the fire starts? That’s electricity! A-and I make electricity, so I just put two and two together, y’know?!”</p><p>“Yeah, you sure taught that silly stove!”</p><p>“Yeah, ‘cause I’m awesome, huh?”</p><p>“…”</p><p>Suddenly the conversation wasn’t fun anymore. Sparky just wanted her to say nice things about her instead of conversationy things, and where was the fun in that?</p><p>“Aw c’mon, say it!” Sparky pleaded. “We’d still be hungry if it wasn’t for me!”</p><p>“But if I do you’ll spend like the next week screaming about it!” Socks cried. “A-and Trainer doesn’t like it when you’re loud!”</p><p>“B-but she’d be so proud of m…us!” Sparky got up from her book ladder and walked across the table to her. “You said it yourself!”</p><p>“Then go make her say it!” Socks huffed. “I-I don’t wanna break any rules!”</p><p>“Say it.”</p><p>“…nu!”</p><p>“Say it.”</p><p>“Nooo…!”</p><p>“Say it!” Sparky jabbed Socks in the waist with a spark of electricity.</p><p>“Yow…!” Socks flailed in protest. “Don’t do that, Sparky! Wait a minute… did you do that earlier too?!”</p><p>“Maybe I did…” Sparky smirked. “And I might do it again if you don’t say it!”</p><p>“Ohh… that’s super not fair, Sparky!”</p><p>“I’m listening…” The little Emolga cupped a hand to her ear.</p><p>Socks just groaned. Sparky was being mean and it wasn’t fair, but she didn’t have much of a choice.</p><p>“…you’re awesome.”</p><p>It was best to just get it out of the way. At least then she’d stop being mean.</p><p>“Yeaaaahh, I’m awesome!” Sparky cried, whooshing past Socks and charging around the kitchen, “Woohoo!”</p><p>Sparky’s shouting was extra loud today, so Socks got up and left the kitchen as quickly as she could. Maybe it was time to go see what Higgle was up to. Sparky was going to be busy shouting about herself for a while anyway, and the house was boring when she was on her own.</p><p>Socks mumbled to herself, noodling away across the floors and peering around corners to find Higgle. He wasn’t in the TV room or the hallway, and definitely wasn’t in the kitchen because it was still covered in syrup and she saw him leave it. So that just left upstairs.</p><p>Luckily she didn’t have to search for too long, because Higgle was sat at the top of the stairs. He was squashed up against the top wall and looking at a letter, but he wasn’t reading it because his eyes weren’t moving and because he couldn’t read human.</p><p>“Huh. Higgle’s zoned out again?” She frowned. “Weird.”</p><p>She wobbled her way up the stairs, landing softly on the carpet and squashing herself next to him.</p><p>“Hey there, Higgle.”</p><p>Even with her nuzzling her head into his shoulder, it took him a weirdly long time to say anything.</p><p>“…hunh? Who? What?!”</p><p>“Are you okay, dude?” She eyed him worriedly. “You’ve been acting weird all morning. Like, I spilled all that syrup earlier and you didn’t even yell. What’s wrong?”</p><p>“I-it’s nothing Socks, really.” Higgle looked away from her. “I’m just…”</p><p>“Distracted?” Socks mewled.</p><p>“Y-yes. Nothing to worry about though, however I thank you for your concerns. H-how is Sparky doing?”</p><p>“She’s… awesome,” Socks grimaced. “But we’re talking about you now Higgle. Wanna tell me what’s up?”</p><p>“I am <em>fine, </em>Socks. Seriously. Please st-”</p><p>“But you’re <em>not</em> fine, Higgle.” Socks said, with more strength in her voice. Higgle’s eyes narrowed at her.</p><p>“I… I’m not so smart, I know that.” Socks rubbed her paws together. “But you know what else I know? I know you, Higgle. And I know that I know you, because we’ve been together forever, so I know that I know when you’re not being you, s-so c’mon, what’s wrong with you today?”</p><p>Higgle’s eyes bounced all over the place and his skin went clammy, like when you randomly get icky at night-time. He sighed and said. “It’s these letters that were delivered for Lady Holly. I am having trouble transcribing the text.”</p><p>“Uh huh…?” Socks nodded. “A-and what does that mean?”</p><p>“Read, Socks. I am trying to read them.” Higgle said more simply, with words that actual people said. “I understand that there is an abundance of red writing on these letters, and I can perceive that red writing is ominous, but I cannot for the life of me…”</p><p>Higgle’s lips continued moving, but the words just got longer and more complicated, and it just started to sound like the TV when there weren’t any channels on it, and before long her brain was starting to hurt.</p><p>“Agh…” She winced. “W-why is reading these letters so important Higgle? Can’t you just get Trainer to do it?”</p><p>“Because they contain information, Socks.” Higgle said flatly. “If I am able to decipher them, it may provide me with reasons.”</p><p>“…reasons?”</p><p>“Yes, reasons.”</p><p>“What kinda reasons?”</p><p>“Reasons as to why…” the letters in Higgle’s hands were shaking. “W-why…”</p><p>But then Higgle let out a loud, noisy sob, and his head crashed forwards into his knees. Her best friend was whimpering next to her, and all she could do was stare. She’d known Higgle for years, and he never ever got upset, even when sad stuff happened. But then tears started dripping onto the carpet, so something must’ve been really wrong.</p><p>Socks’ mouth tightened. Did she give Higgle space or comfort right now? She always seemed to pick the wrong one…</p><p>“…this had something to do with Trainer, doesn’t it?” Socks dared, the clues forming in her mind like a block puzzle. She wrapped her long, skinny body around Higgle. “I mean… you normally just let Trainer read her mail, so it’s gotta be something big, right?”</p><p>Higgle looked up, his face stricken. He didn’t look like he was about to cry any more but somehow Socks felt worse at the sight of him.</p><p>“…yes.”</p><p>“Can I… see Trainer?” She let out a tentative mumble. “I’d really really like to see her…”</p><p>“…alright,” Higgle sighed. Lips thin, he stood up straight again and offered Socks a hand up. “You deserve that much.”</p><p>“Thank you, Higgle.” Socks nuzzled against him again. “She’s just through here, right?”</p><p>“…yes.”</p><p>“A-and I can see her? No more hand slapping and stuff?”</p><p>“N-no more.”</p><p>Socks put a paw against the door. It felt cold to the touch, creaking gently. She glanced back and saw that Higgle’s eyes were gleaming. Whatever was going on here, it was behind this door.</p><p>“I-I don’t like this,” Socks mumbled. “Like, why’re you so scared, Higgle? It’s just Trainer… right?”</p><p>“You shall find out soon enough, Socks.” Higgle didn’t look her in the eye. “But just remember one thing for me, okay?”</p><p>“B-but I remember lots of things, Higgle?”</p><p>“But especially this, okay?”</p><p>“S-sure thing, Higgle.”</p><p>Higgle gulped. His arms started trembling. This was getting scary.</p><p>“Remember that we are a family, okay Socks? N-no matter what.”</p><p>“Th-that’s a silly thing to say, Higgle!” Socks’ voice cracked. “Why wouldn’t we be a family? I mean, we’re all under this roof and we love each other lots and we have fun together, a-and-”</p><p>Socks stumbled backwards and edged the door open.</p><p>And she saw.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy Leap Day, folks. Here's chapter 2. I figured I'd combine it and chapter 3 because chapter 3 was essentially just filler. While there was some cutesy stuff happening in it, it ultimately achieved nothing other than prolonging the plot. So I mixed things up a bit, and here you go.</p><p>As always, feel free to leave feedback if you've got a moment. Thanks for reading :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Six Feet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A high pitched yowl tore through the house.</p>
<p>“Hunh?!” Sparky’s celebrations were shuffled to a halt. “Wh-what happened there?”</p>
<p>Hopping through the sticky mess of the kitchen, she scrambled down the hallway and up the stairs, only to find a devastated looking Higgle at the top of them.</p>
<p>“H-Higgle?” She mumbled. “What’s… going on?”</p>
<p>Higgle’s grimace stretched wider, and Sparky finally noticed that the door to his left was half open.</p>
<p>“…oh! Did Socks see Miss Holly?!”</p>
<p>Again, Higgle didn’t really respond. He just buried his face between his arms and sighed loudly. So Sparky edged the door open and tiptoed her way into the bathroom, only to find Socks curled up on the cold tile floor, shivering.</p>
<p>“Socks…?” She shook the little Furret. “A-are you okay? What’s wrong?”</p>
<p>Eyes wide and glistening with tears, she mumbled nonsense to herself while staring at nothing.</p>
<p>Sparky glanced up at Holly. She hadn’t moved since earlier, and it was awesome then. So why was Socks so scared?</p>
<p>Sparky sat down next to Socks and wrapped her arms around the Furret’s head. “Hey, it’s okay… wanna talk about it?”</p>
<p>Socks just continued whimpering at nothing. Maybe she was just so overwhelmed by it all, Sparky thought. It wasn’t a normal reaction, sure, but Socks got spooked easy so it sorta made sense.</p>
<p>But if she didn’t know any better, she could’ve sworn Socks was upset by all of this. Higgle didn’t look too pleased either. Something was definitely up here…</p>
<p>“C’mon Socks, you can talk to me…” she rubbed Socks’ back. “I-isn’t it awesome? Trainer’s fly-”</p>
<p>“No!” Socks’ voice was shrill and choked. “It’s not awesome! It’s really really scary, Sparky! D-don’t you know what this means?!”</p>
<p>Suddenly the world felt like it was falling away from her. What started off as a happy, fluffy feeling quickly dissolved away to an unpleasant, empty sensation in the pit of her stomach.</p>
<p>“B-but isn’t she flying?” Sparky felt the threat of tears stinging. Did she get something wrong?</p>
<p>“No, no no no, she’s not!” Socks wailed. “When a human does that, it means that they’re-”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Higgle was brought out of his melancholy with a gasp as Sparky released a similar shriek to the one from earlier. Eyes wide, he watched as both of the girls dashed out of the bathroom in a panic, screaming down the hallway and into the bedroom again.</p>
<p>“Oh… dear,” Higgle sobbed.</p>
<p>What was he thinking, trying to keep them from seeing it? They would’ve had to eventually, no matter what he could’ve done to stop it. And now things were probably so much worse, and it was all his fault.</p>
<p>Higgle pushed himself to his feet. Even his footfalls felt heavy as he plodded his way down the hall.</p>
<p>Now it was his turn to squeak through the half-open door.</p>
<p>“…Socks? Sparky? Where are you both?”</p>
<p>He slowly scanned the room for signs of either of the girls, but the tiny slip of light peering through the curtains wasn’t helping. The bed was empty, there was no one on the beanbag, or even just sprawled out across the floor like he’d first expected.</p>
<p>He opened the curtains and found no one, and the wardrobe was empty too.</p>
<p>“Where could they have gone?” He mumbled. There weren’t many hiding places in this room, and he definitely saw them both run in here, yet he couldn’t find them.</p>
<p>Higgle collapsed onto the bed and conceded. Grief took hold, and tears slipped from his eyes. After a few furious swipes, they kept streaming however, and eventually an almighty sob burst out of him.</p>
<p>What were they going to do now? Not only had they lost Lady Holly, but he had lied to them about it and now they probably hated him for it.</p>
<p>He was a failure as a psychic-type. As a Pokémon. As a living being. Some mind reader he was, not even knowing that his beloved trainer was suffering.</p>
<p>Sir Higglesworth sniffled loudly. He supposed there was a silver lining in the girls hiding from him; they wouldn’t see him like this. Pathetic and helpless, crying on his own in a dark-</p>
<p>The beanbag rustled.</p>
<p>Higgle sat bolt upright with an ugly snort and wiped at his face. “W-who’s there?!”</p>
<p>He was met with more silence.</p>
<p>A snuffly judder escaping his depths, Higgle squirmed out of the bed and approached the beanbag. It couldn’t have moved on its own, could it?</p>
<p>Tentative footfalls on carpet.</p>
<p>“…Socks?” He prodded at the beanbag. “S-Sparky? Are you in there? Let’s talk about this, okay?”</p>
<p>“No! I’m not coming out!” Socks sniffled from within the beanbag. “I’m staying in here forever now! The world’s all nasty without Trainer!”</p>
<p>“Ohh, I know it is, Socks,” Higgle put on his softest voice. “But you cannot stay in there. You’ll never know the dangers from amidst that beanbag.”</p>
<p>“I’m fine with that!” Socks cried. “What you don’t know can’t hurt you!”</p>
<p>“B-but you know that is a fallacy, Socks…” Higgle knelt down next to the beanbag.</p>
<p>“Agh, quit it with the long words Higgle!” Socks screamed out at him. The beanbag rustled violently as Socks coiled up tighter in its centre.</p>
<p>“The dangers still exist, whether you know about them or not,” Higgle stammered, placing his hand on top of the beanbag. “You can’t protect yourself from danger if you don’t know about it, Socks. A-and then it could come and gobble you up in the night…”</p>
<p>“Well that’s fine with me!” Socks cried. So much for the metaphor. “That way I can be <em>with Trainer!”</em></p>
<p>“Oh, that is <em>it, </em>Socks!” Higgle yelled. “Come out of there at once!”</p>
<p>“No!” Socks coiled up tighter still. “It’s nice in here! Out there’s bad!”</p>
<p>“You cannot stay in there forever, Socks!” Higgle strained to unwrap the beanbag from around her. “Let us face the nasty things together, okay?!”</p>
<p>“But why?!” Socks shouted. “There is no together without Trainer!”</p>
<p>“You still,” Higgle found a long tail and grabbed onto it. “Have. US!”</p>
<p>“Noo!” Socks resisted. “I’m not comin’ out! Never ever ever!”</p>
<p>“Yes you are!” Higgle gave an almighty tug, actually shifting the entire beanbag with his efforts.</p>
<p>“Yaaaagh!” Sock screeched, turning around and raking his face with a seething set of slashes. “I said I’m not coming outta-”</p>
<p>Her boiling rage simmered and died almost instantly when she saw what she’d done. Her best friend’s face was covered with bright, glistening red scratches. One eye closed, Higgle just gave her a defeated stare.</p>
<p>“Ohh, Higgle…” She collapsed into his shoulder and sobbed. “I-I… I’m so so so sorry.”</p>
<p>“It is alright, Socks,” Higgle stroked the back of her head. “If anything, I should be the one apologising to you, for putting you both through this.”</p>
<p>Socks shuffled in his arms, and the lightbulb flickered.</p>
<p>“W-where is Sparky, anyway?”</p>
<p>A painful silence rippled through the bedroom.</p>
<p>Higgle could almost hear his shame. Both of them ran off, after what they had <em>seen, </em>and yet he chose to comfort only <em>one</em> of them.</p>
<p>Every hurdle he had met so far, he had missed.</p>
<p>“I’m right here.” A muffled voice deadpanned from the wardrobe. Higgle glanced over to see a narrow strip of white and yellow glowering at them from the half-closed doors.</p>
<p>“S-Sparky?” He gasped. “How long have you been in there, dear?”</p>
<p>“Since forever,” Sparky pouted. “You looked right at me, but I guess I wasn’t important enough…”</p>
<p>“Ohh, now you know that isn’t true, Sparky…” Higgle extended an arm towards her. “P…perhaps you just… blended in with the towels behind you so perfectly that I did not see you.”</p>
<p>“…they’re blue.” Sparky didn’t even blink.</p>
<p>“I am sorry, Sparky. I truly am.” Higgle said. What point was there in arguing? He was just showing what a horrible Pokémon he was with every extra word. Blinking slowly and sucking in a long breath, he fluttered the fingers of his free hand.</p>
<p>Sparky groaned and shuffled out of the wardrobe. With puffed out cheeked and rubbed red eyes, she let Higgle pull her into a hug.</p>
<p>Higgle squeezed her tight. She was all full of static again, and it was probably his fault. Like everything else today.</p>
<p>“So… Miss Holly’s not really flying?” Sparky mumbled.</p>
<p>“I…” Higgle started, but his sentence froze where it stood. What could he even tell them? Would they understand? And even then, would they understand why?</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure if he knew that part himself…</p>
<p>“Lady Holly has… fallen into the eternal sleep, I am afraid.” He said, blinking furiously at the ceiling.</p>
<p>“Eternal sleep?” Sparky’s eyes widened. “What’s that mean?”</p>
<p>Higgle sighed. Maybe a different analogy would work.</p>
<p>“It means she has… passed away.”</p>
<p>“Passed away?!” Sparky cried. “But she’s right there! How can she be away when she’s there?!”</p>
<p>“Sparky…” Higgle rubbed at his eyes. “Lady Holly is-”</p>
<p>“Dead.” Socks deadpanned. “That’s all you needed to say, Higgle.”</p>
<p>The word tore into him like a knife through butter. Scalding, dangerous tears prickled and he brought both girls tighter, sobbing into Socks’ fur.</p>
<p>“Dead?!” Sparky yelped. “B-but how, Higgle? Why? Why didn’t you tell me-”</p>
<p>“To try and protect you, Sparky.” Higgle spluttered. “I-if you didn’t know, then… then-”</p>
<p>“Then we’d still be a family?” Sparky looked up at him.</p>
<p>“Ohh, of course we are still a family!” Higgle insisted. “A-and we will always be a family no matter what, Sparky!”</p>
<p>“But now we’re a broken one…” Socks mumbled. “And you know what happens to broken things. They get thrown away.”</p>
<p>The urge to defy Socks bubbled, but he just didn’t have the strength to do it. It was a very real possibility. What was to become of them now?</p>
<p>Lady Holly would disappear periodically from the house and return with food. How were they going to get food? Where did she even get it from?</p>
<p>“What’re we… going to do now, Higgle?” Sparky asked after a few minutes.</p>
<p>Staring off into the distance, a defeated Sir Higglesworth just shook his head slowly.</p>
<p>“I don’t know.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Accumula Town’s conifer trees swayed gently against a stormy backdrop as three Pokémon moped in the darkening kitchen. It was dinnertime, but there was no loving Trainer to provide them with food. How Sparky managed to work the stove earlier was little short of a miracle, and the kitchen was still covered in syrup because of it. What was going to happen the next time? Would someone get injured? Would they set the house on fire? Why wasn’t the old stove working anyway?</p>
<p>Lady Holly made it look so easy. Just another mystery he supposed he was going to have to solve, lest they starve.</p>
<p>With a little gasp, he snuck back into the kitchen. He hopped through around patches of syrup to open the door to the fridge, and then the cupboards, and then the pantry. His sigh deepened each time.</p>
<p>“Ohh, Lady Holly, what are we to do.” Higgle grimaced. The shelves were almost empty, save for a few oddly shaped packages. Did Lady Holly use these to make food, he wondered. Some of them rustled, others crinkled, one released a bizarre powder, but then there was the sticky yet not altogether unpleasant texture of plastic wrap.</p>
<p>“Hmm?” Higgle narrowed his eyes. The discovery was wrapped under so many layers he couldn’t even determine the contents, but there was a post-it note attached to it with a hastily drawn picture of… him.</p>
<p>Something inside of him withered at the sight, settling in his stomach like a lead weight.</p>
<p>“A-apology accepted, Lady Holly.” He almost managed a chuckle. “It would appear you can read the future far better than I…”</p>
<p>
  <em>Meanwhile in the other room…</em>
</p>
<p>“Hey, who’s Higgle talking to?” Socks mumbled, her sharp ears pricking up. “He’s all mumbles and stuff.”</p>
<p>“Probably himself, Socks,” Sparky sighed. “’Cos there’s no one else, remember?”</p>
<p>“Oh yeah…” Socks deflated. Sparky just mumbled something dejected next to her.</p>
<p>That was until a heavy plate clattered onto the table.</p>
<p>“Huh?” Socks frowned. “W-what’s in here, Higgle?</p>
<p>“I am not certain,” Higgle tugged at the mound of plastic wrap. The tough, sticky wrap slowly unpeeled to unveil about thirty oval-shaped bread rolls.</p>
<p>“Poffins?” Socks said. “How did you make them so fast, Higgle?”</p>
<p>“Lady Holly must have left them for us,” Higgle stared at the confection in his hands. A mild, bitter tang wafted from it. He’d always loved Rawst…</p>
<p>“You were always so smart, Trainer.” Socks’ face scrunched up.</p>
<p>Higgle took a seat opposite the girls. “It seems as though she still cared for us deeply. In spite of everything.”</p>
<p>Rain was spattering against the windows now. With the skies rapidly darkening, Higgle could barely make out the poffin in his hands any more. It was little more than a bitter lump of coal in the dusk. Except it smelled nice, he breathed in deeply and felt the minty fragrance calm him.</p>
<p>Silence descended. Prospects were already bleak, Higgle frowned. Lady Holly had the foresight to make them a stack of poffins, but how long were they going to last? Socks had inhaled two already.</p>
<p>Just how long had Lady Holly been planning this, he groaned internally. How long had she been this way, and he none the w-</p>
<p>“Hey Higgle?” Socks picked her words slowly. “W-what’re we gonna do now? We can’t stay here much longer, I know that much…”</p>
<p>“What… what makes you say that, dear?” Higgle glanced up at her. Beetle black eyes glinting against her darkened silhouette, he could barely see her any more in this darkness.</p>
<p>“Well…” Socks mumbled. “Trainer used to go into town sometimes and come back with food, right?”</p>
<p>“…yes?” Higgle narrowed his eyes.</p>
<p>“D’you… think that’s why there’s so many poffins?” She started nibbling on her third. “Be-because she knew that we wouldn’t be able to go into town and get food like she did…”</p>
<p>“That does seem feasible, yes.” Higgle put a hand to his chin. It looked like he wasn’t the only one to reach this conclusion.</p>
<p>“But wait…” Sparky said. “So what’re we gonna do when we run outta food?”</p>
<p>The world suddenly fell away from Higgle. Both of the girls had made the same deduction as he, and he had the advantage of context.</p>
<p>“O-oh…” He stumbled. That will teach him for underestimating them. “I um… I suppose we shall have to cross that bridge as we come to it, okay girls? I-if we ration the food it should last longer, and I shall brainstorm until then. How does that sound?”</p>
<p>“I… I don’t know,” Socks mumbled. “Like, I can’t help but feel like we’re gonna get thrown away now, cause-”</p>
<p>“-Calm down, dear.” Higgle said. “You are overthinking, Socks. I assure you, we will be fine. I’ll not let anyone throw us away. Broken or not, we are a family!”</p>
<p>Sparky just huffed at him. “Some family we are. Just how long were you gonna keep this a secret from us, Higgle?”</p>
<p>Socks’ face crumpled in front of them, and Higgle wrestled the urge to shout into a huge intake of breath.</p>
<p>“It was…” He swallowed down warring emotions. “To try and protect you both. There are things that are not to be seen, and that was one of them.”</p>
<p>“But I <em>had </em>seen already!” Sparky threw her little arms outwards. “Wouldn’t it have been better if you’d just told me the truth there and then?!”</p>
<p>“Now now, Sparky,” Higgle showed her gentle palms. “Let us both take a deep breath and think about this, okay?”</p>
<p>“Think, Higgle? <em>Think</em>? That’s all I’ve been doing since you told us about this, dammit!” Sparky seethed. Electricity arcing dangerously from her body, she glared up at him with hollow eyes. “You wanna tell me what I’m missing, smarty pants?! Thinking's not gonna bring her back now, is it?!”</p>
<p>Something with Higgle burned. Whether it was guilt or fury, he wasn’t sure, but he couldn’t show either right now. Not while Sparky was like this.</p>
<p>“If I had told you straight away…” He sighed. “You would have argued about it, insisting that Lady Holly <em>was indeed</em> flying, and when I continued to correct you, you would have gone and gotten Socks, to get her to agree with you. And you saw what happened when Socks s-”</p>
<p>“Oh, so it’s perfectly fine for me to see her there, dead as a Doduo, but not Socks?!” Sparky raged. “Why’s <em>she </em>so special? Once again, Socks gets all the special hugs while I’m stuck in the damn closet! Just admit you like her more, okay Higg-”</p>
<p>“Sparky!” Socks shrieked at her. “S-s-stop being so nasty to us! Higgle was just trying to help, okay?! Now that’s Trainer’s g… gone, he’s gonna be helping us a-a lot more! So you just shut up for once and let him help… okay?!”</p>
<p>Socks’ outburst stunned the both of them into silence. Face screwed up, eyes streaming, she dropped the remains of her poffin and burst from the table, disappearing into another room.</p>
<p>Higgle cradled his forehead. “…<em>that</em> is why, Sparky. I was just fortunate that you hadn’t realised exactly what had happened.”</p>
<p>“…I was dumb there, wasn’t I?” Sparky mumbled. “S-Socks has had a bad enough day, and then I go and make it worse because I dunno how to shut up!”</p>
<p>“Berate yourself no further, Sparky.” Higgle pulled the tiny Emolga into his arms. “You were right. I should have told you straight away. In the situation we are currently within, it would have made no difference…”</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry I got mad, Higgle,” Sparky mumbled into his shoulder. “I mean, you’re just trying to keep us together, a-and I-”</p>
<p>“There is no need for an apology, dear,” Higgle stood up from the table. “If anything, I believe it is Socks that we need to apologise to.”</p>
<p>Sparky nodded slowly. “Once w-we find her, m-maybe we could all sit in the big beanbag together and eat poffins and watch cartoons on TV? Socks like the cartoons…”</p>
<p>“A pertinent idea, Sparky.” Higgle smiled. “And I have an idea where she might be. Come, let us go and be a family.”</p>
<p>Balancing a trio of fresh poffins in one arm and Sparky in the other, Higgle quickly glanced into the sitting room, just in case. The darkness of evening had all but washed out the colour, leaving behind a gloomy greyscale.</p>
<p>Carefully bumping his foot against each and every stair to check for distance, he slowly made his way to the top floor, where Socks was sniffling loudly at the end of the stairs. Tail wrapped around herself and coiled tightly, she was staring intently at the bathroom door.</p>
<p>“G-go away!” She picked up on them instantly, her voice thick and harsh. “I-I don’t wanna talk right now…”</p>
<p>“We cannot leave you like this, Socks…” Higgle let Sparky down. “You shall become ill, crying yourself to sleep in a dark hallway.”</p>
<p>“…it’s not gonna be like this every day, is it?” Socks sniffled. “All of us getting mad at each other over nothing? I mean, I scratched your face lots earlier, and I yelled at Sparky just now a-and I don’t even like shouting because it makes my voice hurt! Is this what life is now?!”</p>
<p>“O-of course not, Socks…” Higgle dared to reach forward and stroke her head. She flinched at the touch. “Things will get better, I just know it.”</p>
<p>A heavy sniffle left her. “When, Higgle? When?”</p>
<p>“S-soon, I promise.” Higgle said. “P… perhaps you would like to join us in the beanbag? We can eat some poffins there, and I shall see if I can find some cartoons on the television?”</p>
<p>Socks’ head tilted upwards. “…that does sound a little bit nice. Better than the floor, anyway.”</p>
<p>The little Furret uncoiled and wobbled back to her feet, showing her face again at last. “I-I’m sorry you guys. I shouldn’t get all mad like that…”</p>
<p>“Worry not, Socks.” Higgle forestalled. “We have all made mistakes today, and we are all a bit tired. So you two take a seat, and I shall see what is showing on the television.”</p>
<p>“N-no scary movies, please Higgle.” Socks mumbled. “I-I don’t like those very much…”</p>
<p>“Of course not.” Higgle’s voice was muffled from behind the TV cabinet. It was an ancient model, possibly older than any of them. The darkening skies were only making things more difficult, but despite his persistence, complete with appropriate switch flicking and wire jiggling, the appliance was not powering up.</p>
<p>“Hmm,” He frowned at it. “All of the wires and power connectors appear to be in the correct positions, and all of the appropriate switches are in the right places. So why are you not working, television?”</p>
<p>“H-have you tried hitting it on the side, Higgle?” Sparky suggested. “That always worked with me?”</p>
<p>“I am not sure it will work this time, Sparky…” Higgle groaned, squashing into the beanbag. “It seems to be lacking power, and therefore I don’t think we can operate it.”</p>
<p>“…oh.” Sparky sighed. “Does that mean no cartoons before bed?”</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, I believe so.” Higgle glanced over to the window, where a lone streetlight cast a distant glow against the curtains. “I do apologise, girls. Will you be okay getting to sleep?”</p>
<p>“U-uhmm…” Socks shivered. “It’s… kinda dark and scary.”</p>
<p>Higgle and Sparky shared a nervous glance. Lady Holly had taken years coaxing her out of this fear, and now it was back in just one night.</p>
<p>Guilt clawed at his stomach. Were things just going to spiral out of control now?</p>
<p>“H-hold on, I’ve got an idea…” Sparky muttered, closing her eyes and concentrating. Her face marred into a frown, a little glow of static electricity started bouncing across her body, lighting the room up just enough for the trio to see.</p>
<p>“Wow… thanks Sparky,” Socks snuggled up to her. “Y-you guys have been so nice to me today…”</p>
<p>Higgle’s frown slowly melted away. “That is what family are for, Socks.”</p>
<p>But his comment fell on deaf ears. Half-eaten poffin under one arm, Sparky the nightlight under the other, Socks had dozed off already.</p>
<p>Higgle felt a smile rising within him. “And they say a chipped vase is worthless.”</p>
<p>Shuffling alongside the pair and wrapping his arms around them, Higgle was finally able to put this long day to rest. Whatever the future held, it was his duty to keep their little family together.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey there everyone. I hope all this quarantine and isolation isn't proving too tough for you all. Here's an update.</p>
<p>Sorry it took so long, I've been bogged down with other stuff (and also lazy, lol). I ended up cutting an entire chapter due to it essentially being plotless fluff. But yeah, feel free to leave some feedback if you've got any. Thanks for reading :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Broken Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Higgle was the first to wake that morning. Rubbing at tired eyes, he was immediately flooded with sadness at the sight of his still sleeping siblings.</p>
<p>It wasn’t just a horrible dream. This was their horrible reality now. Any other morning Sparky would have been up and about hours ago, but the little Emolga just laid there, grey and dulled. Socks looked no less exhausted, sprawled out next to her.</p>
<p>A heavy sigh escaped him as he gently shuffled out of the beanbag. Neither of the girls stirred, even when he stumbled.</p>
<p>“The poor darlings,” he mumbled. He crept around the squeaky floorboard and out of the room to give them some peace. Waking them up wasn’t going to help anyone.</p>
<p>His limbs felt heavy as he made his way down the stairs, glancing away from the pictures on the wall. What were they to do now, he pondered. The food wasn’t going to last forever, as Socks so bluntly stated last night.</p>
<p>Higgle groaned at the sight of the bottom floor. Everything just felt like the colour had been drained out of it, although the kitchen still smelled violently of syrup.</p>
<p>“Reverting back to a wild state certainly would not do…” he mused, taking his usual position at the dining table and rubbing at his forehead. “Would it even be possible? It has been so many years.”</p>
<p>Hopping his way through the kitchen – something else he was probably going to have to fix soon – he snatched a plate from the handful next to the sink and carried on through to the kitchen. Maybe the girls would appreciate waking up to something nice.</p>
<p>He grabbed two poffins from the dwindling supply and hopped back through the kitchen.</p>
<p>“I suppose we could still live here, but go out and forage for berries and such?” He muttered to no-one. “Yes, perhaps that is a viable alternative. There should be plentiful berry trees growing nearby.”</p>
<p>He edged the bedroom door open again and gently placed the plate on the carpet next to the beanbag.</p>
<p>“No noo…” Socks muttered in her sleep, her little arms shuffling as Higgle made his exit from the room. “Don’t go, Trainer. I need-”</p>
<p>Her sentence dissolved into intangible mumbling, but she had said enough.</p>
<p>“Oh dear…” he blinked away lamentations. Dreaming about Lady Holly was all well and good, but was that just going to make them twice as miserable when they woke up?</p>
<p>“I suppose it is better than having bad dreams…” he insisted. “If that were the case, they would have nowhere to run…”</p>
<p>Leaving the bedroom as quietly as he could, he paced his way back downstairs and stretched for the front door key. Hanging innocently from a little wooden hook in the stairwell, his attempts to grasp it were nevertheless in vain. Grumbling with frustration, Higgle closed his eyes and focused for a moment, before glowing a soft blue and floating towards the key. His face wrinkling with concentration, he desperately snatched the key from the hook before falling back to earth with a stumble.</p>
<p>His palm thudded against the front door as he gasped for breath. Why did he allow himself to get this weak? So comfortable with life that he’d forgotten to be a Pokémon? Sparky could still use her electric abilities to her fullest, as far as he was aware, and Socks was as agile as ever. So why was he the only one who had succumbed to complacency?</p>
<p>“…despicable.” He muttered to the door. His fist shaking, he forced the tiny silver key into the lock and twisted. The heavy door slowly lurched open, blowing a gust of fresh country air into the house.</p>
<p>Higgle shielded his eyes. Was the outside always this bright?</p>
<p>Closing the door behind him and taking a few tentative steps, he could feel his spirits already starting to crumble. His dreams of berry trees were shattered with the awful reality that these trees – the only trees he could see in every direction – didn’t grow any berries. Instead, enormous pine trees taunted him from the distance, vaulting up into the iron grey skies and creaking in the breeze.</p>
<p>Accumula Town was a lovely town – Lady Holly had said so on many occasions, so it must be true – but he was finding it hard to appreciate that beauty right now. Even Socks wouldn’t want pinecones for breakfast…</p>
<p>“Another plan, fruitless.” Higgle groaned. He collapsed onto the nearby kerb and buried his head in his hand.</p>
<p>Life carried on in Accumula Town. Trainers passed through now and again, their prized training partners in tow, while locals gossiped and laughed, and the occasional car trundled past, splashing puddles down the cobblestone roads.</p>
<p>The little Kadabra down the end of the side street next to the house with all the ivy continued to mope.</p>
<p>“Maybe… it is time to run away again,” He mumbled to no one. “Perhaps if I take Socks and Sparky with me, we could escape to somewhere new, a-and…”</p>
<p>But that ounce of inspiration fell away as quickly as it spawned, as if it were water dripping from his cupped hands. Running away wasn’t going to solve anything, was it? At least here they had a roof over their heads. Getting lost in the wilderness somewhere was just going to make things harder…</p>
<p>“Hello there!” A sprightly voice chimed from across the road, stirring Higgle from his thoughts. The Kadabra looked up from his arms to find a small, chubby, tan and pink Pokémon waving at him from the distance. With bell-shaped ears and bright blue eyes, the Pokémon carefully looked both ways across the empty road before toddling across.</p>
<p>“Is something troubling you, dear?” The fat pink Pokémon squashed down next to him, its eyes glowing with concern. “My ears could hear you making unhappy noises.”</p>
<p>“Your ears can… hear?” Higgle frowned up at the Pokémon. What an odd way to say something.</p>
<p>“Yes yes!” The Pokémon smiled. “And my eyes can see that you’re all sad…”</p>
<p>Shame burned within him. Was it really so obvious that a complete stranger could tell at a glance?</p>
<p>“You… could say that, I suppose…” Higgle sighed. Staring desperately at the mossy cobblestones, he clenched a fist. “We… we lost our dear trainer yesterday.”</p>
<p>“Oh dear!” The fat pink Pokémon threw hands to its mouth. “H-how-”</p>
<p>“Lady Holly, she was so wonderful…” Higgle said abruptly. “A-and now that she is no longer with us, I… I don’t know what to do.”</p>
<p>“You poor thing.” The pink Pokémon shuffled closer. Instantly Higgle felt the unwelcome prickle run down his right-hand side. “Is there anything I can do to help?”</p>
<p>“Umm…” Higgle shuffled a few inches away from this stranger. Could he really trust someone he’d just met? Then again, any knowledge was better than absolutely none, even if they were a stranger.</p>
<p>“You… know how the humans acquire food, yes?”</p>
<p>The desire for knowledge was more important than mistrust of strangers, he supposed. Worst case scenario, they wouldn’t have an answer for him, and he would lose perhaps a minute to conversation.</p>
<p>“Y-yes yes I do!” The pink Pokémon squeaked. “That’s called ‘shopping’! Humans travel over to this place called the ‘Market’.” She gestured over to a small collection of brightly coloured structures in the distance. Even as they said it, Higgle could pick out a smattering of humans meandering between them, sharing distant gestures and silent conversations.</p>
<p>“Hm hm!” They continued. “They trade these shiny circles for food! Sometimes it looks like paper too, yes yes, but it must be really nice, because it’s worth food!”</p>
<p>“…I see.” Higgle nodded. “But that only creates more issues, I am afraid. We have no means of attaining these shiny circles you speak off, and that means we cannot trade them for food. A-and if we cannot obtain any food, I…”</p>
<p>“Hmm…” The pink Pokémon absorbed his situation. “Wait here a second, yes yes!”</p>
<p>Suddenly it dashed off towards the tall grass across the way. Higgle just frowned as it stood there, twitching its ears. It wiggled its arms slowly one direction, and then the other, and then both of its ears lit up and the grass itself began to shake in time. Suddenly, another identical Pokémon burst out of the long grass.</p>
<p>Higgle’s eyes widened as the two danced to each other in near unison. A few soft gestures and some inaudible conversation later, and the second one handed something to the first before disappearing back into the long grass again.</p>
<p>The first one span around in obvious delight before slowly wobbling back towards him. Higgle was still staring wide-eyed at them by the time they had pushed something round and blue into his hands, “Here, take this!”</p>
<p>Higgle looked down at the blue handful and frowned some more. “This is… a berry?”</p>
<p>“Yes yes!” They chimed, “A-and it’s also a food! If you plant it into the ground and treat it nicely, feed it <em>loooots</em> of water, it’ll grow into <em>more </em>food!”</p>
<p>“R-really?!” Higgle gasped. “My word that is auspicious news! I thank you, madam uhh…”</p>
<p>“Camellia.” They flounced. “My owner didn’t like calling me Audino all the time because lots of them live here, so she called me Camellia, and it makes my ears happy to hear it! Wouldn’t you agree?”</p>
<p>“It is a lovely name, and you have my utmost gratitude, Madam Camellia.” Higgle found his feet.</p>
<p>“You’re very welcome, yes yes!” Camellia beamed at him. “Now you go grow some food, okay? Feed those hungry bellies!”</p>
<p>“I-I shall!” Higgle cried. Bowing to the chubby Audino, there was a spring in his step as he let himself back inside. The back garden was a perfect place to grow berries, with high fences and long grass to keep it safe while it grew. How <em>quickly</em> it grew was a different matter, maybe, just maybe, they weren’t going to go hungry after all.</p>
<p>He hopped through the kitchen once again, but his plans were halted by the sight of Sparky with her face buried in the table.</p>
<p>“Sparky dear?” He approached gently. The berry was put to one side for the time being. “Are you quite alright?”</p>
<p>“Not really…” Sparky mumbled, not even looking up. “I had a nasty dream about Miss Holly…”</p>
<p>“Oh dear…” Higgle took a seat next to hear. “But I thought dreaming about Lady Holly would make you happy?”</p>
<p>“I-it kinda did at first…” She said, showing red puffy cheeks. “We were both riding on those swing-a-things you get at the park and stuff? A-and you and Socks were there too. You were helping Socks build a sandcastle because hers weren’t coming out so good…”</p>
<p>“That… does sound accurate, I must say.” Higgle put a comforting hand on her back. “How did it turn bad, if I may ask?”</p>
<p>“Ugh…” Sparky shuddered. “It was awful.”</p>
<p>“I will not force you, Sparky.” He kept his voice soft. “I understand that it may-”</p>
<p>“I-it’s okay,” Sparky insisted. “If I don’t it’ll be stuck in the back of my mind forever and haunt me and I don’t want that!”</p>
<p>Higgle looked at her with her soggy eyes and puffy cheeks. So much for happy dreams, he sighed internally.</p>
<p>“…alright then.” He brought her to his chest. “Just take things slowly, okay? No sense in rushing, after all…”</p>
<p>“Well uh…” Sparky nuzzled against him. “Well umm… something happened, and I got knocked off the swing-a-thing. I got a mouthful of sand from it and it tasted real bad, but when I looked up again it was all dark and you guys were gone!”</p>
<p>“U-us guys?” Higgle frowned. “Everyone?”</p>
<p>“No, not everyone…” Sparky gulped. “Miss Holly was still there. B-but the ropes of the swing had… tightened around her, a-and I was forced to watch it all again! I tried to help her but I couldn’t move and all I could do was stare! I couldn’t do anything!”</p>
<p>Sparky let out a tortured wail and sobbed into Higgle’s chest, tears streaming from her face like a burst tap.</p>
<p>“Oh, gosh…!” Higgle gasped. “Oh you poor thing, Sparky! That must have been dreadful!”</p>
<p>“Mhmm!” Sparky snorted. “I-wa… don-wan… ever!”</p>
<p>Higgle cradled the tiny Emolga in his arms. “It’s okay, dear. Just let it <em>all </em>out…”</p>
<p>Less than one day, and Sparky had already been reduced to a snivelling mess in his arms. Another hurdle missed, Higgle groaned to himself. What was he thinking, making the assumption that they were having happy, pleasant dreams about Lady Holly? And then he wasn’t even there to offer comfort when she woke up.</p>
<p>How many more times was he going to fail as a guardian? How much harder was it going to get before it got easier?</p>
<p>Why did she have to leave him with this?</p>
<p>Grief surged through him like the rising tide. This was his life now, and he was terrible at it. He was doing his best, and still awful. Every sinew of his being ached with sadness, and suddenly the Kadabra found himself holding Sparky ever tighter to his chest.</p>
<p>Tears stung at his eyes as he desperately stared at the ceiling. He had to be strong for the girls. Who else was going to? It was his job now that Lady Holly-</p>
<p>There was a sniffle, and an embattled gasp.</p>
<p>“Ohh, Lady Holly, why?” He whimpered. “Why did you leave us? Why couldn’t you tell us?!”</p>
<p>Sparky tensed up in his hands.</p>
<p>What was happening? Higgle <em>never </em>cried, but here he was, a sobbing mess. His hands were shaking like a bounce house as he cradled her, and looking about as far away from her as he could manage.</p>
<p>“…Higgle?” She mumbled up to him. “H-hey, are you okay?”</p>
<p>She pawed at his chin and felt the flinch ripple through them both.</p>
<p>“Hng?!” He sniffled. “O-oh. I am so sorry, Sparky. I suppose those nasty emotions just got the better of me, eheh…”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it Higgle,” Sparky managed a weak smile. “Lots has changed lately, and you’ve been stuck dealing with it. Honestly, I-I’m kinda glad? Because it means you’re not some emotionless robot after all?”</p>
<p>Higgle snorted again. Moving his limbs squarely, he adopted a monotone voice.</p>
<p>“Take, me, to, your, leader?”</p>
<p>“Bahahah!” Sparky burst into wet chuckles in his arms. “I like robot Higgle! He sounds like he gets stuff done!”</p>
<p>“I will do my best to get stuff done, I promise.” Higgle smiled down at her. “So… Socks is still asleep, I presume?”</p>
<p>“Yup.” Sparky nodded. “I think she was having bad dreams too, because she kept mumbling things in her sleep.”</p>
<p>Higgle deflated. “Well I suppose we can at least be there to support her when she wakes. Did you find the poffins I left you both?”</p>
<p>“I-I did, yeah…” Sparky said. “But I-I’m… not really hungry. Socks can have mine, I don’t mind.”</p>
<p>“I do, Sparky.” Higgle said, his voice coming out harsher than he meant. “You must eat, okay? It isn’t good for you.”</p>
<p>“I know Higgle, don’t worry.” Sparky said. “I’ll eat later, I promise. It’s just… that dream, it kinda made me feel sick…”</p>
<p>“Hmm. Well, at least it is out of your system now, right?” He enthused. “…oh! And speaking of food…”</p>
<p>He picked up the berry again. “I believe I may have solved one of our problems, Sparky.”</p>
<p>“You have?” Sparky gasped. “How?!”</p>
<p>“The kindly Audino from across the road has gifted us this berry,” Higgle explained, pushing the squeaky back door open. “She told me that if we are to plant this berry and give it sufficient water, we can grow more berries! A-and then we can plant some of those, and grow more, and we shall have lots of food!”</p>
<p>“Ooh, that’s great news Higgle!” Sparky cried. “I mean, berries every day is kinda samey but any food’s better than no food, right? Any idea how long it’ll take?”</p>
<p>Higgle froze mid crouch. Berry in one hand, Sparky tucked into his arm, rain pattering gently against his back.</p>
<p>“I… am not sure.” He muttered after a while. “Perhaps we should ask…”</p>
<p>Letting Sparky down, he parted the soft soil with his hands and placed the berry into the hole. The little blue fruit was his hopes and dreams, sitting happily in the mud. Higgle covered it over again with a sigh. It wasn’t much, but maybe a tiny ray of hope was all they needed right now.</p>
<p>“Now, we just need to make sure to water it regularly.” He said, shaking mud from his hands. “It is already raining today, so that should be fine until tomorrow I suppose.”</p>
<p>“How hard could it be?” Sparky followed after him through the house. “I mean, it’s only watering a berry…”</p>
<p>“It never hurts to double check,” Higgle raised a knowing finger. “And who would be a better source of information than the, uh… source?”</p>
<p>Sparky shrugged. “I guess so.”</p>
<p>The pair of them exited through the front door, and Higgle looked around only to find the place strangely empty. He squinted off into the distance, but could only make out the mocking silhouette of a Murkrow on the buildings opposite. No humans, no other Pokémon, barely even a gasp of wind. It was as if the town itself were holding its breath.</p>
<p>“Hm,” He stroked his chin. “Where has Madam Camellia gone?”</p>
<p>Surely a bright pink fluffy creature would stand out against the drab greys and greens of town, he reasoned.</p>
<p>“Maybe she went back to her… owner.” Sparky’s voice quivered. “H-how long’s it gonna keep hurting, Higgle?” She blinked several times.</p>
<p>“A-an informed question, Sparky.” Higgle’s voice sounded tight. “Once your mind can accept the fact, the pain will start to lessen, and then I suppose you can work towards finding – oh, there you are!”</p>
<p>Crouching down and peering carefully, he spied Camellia the Audino squashed underneath a picnic bench. Her once demure features stricken, she stared into the distance unblinking.</p>
<p>Higgle made a cursory glance across the road before approaching. “I-is something wrong, Madam Ca-”</p>
<p>“Oh no!” Camellia quivered furiously, squashing herself down farther still. “Quick quick, you need to hide!”</p>
<p>“Why, what’s wrong?!”</p>
<p>“My ears can hear scary noises…” Camellia mumbled. “Get behind something, please please!”</p>
<p>“O…okay!” Higgle cried. “Sparky, get over here please!”</p>
<p>“What’s wrong, Higgle?” Sparky zipped over the road, just before a heavy rumbling had the ground shaking violently. The skies themselves were swallowed up by an ominous shadow rounding the corner. Impossibly tall, dark metal beasts rumbled across the cobblestones, swallowing the very path before them. Sparky staggered over to Higgle and the pair of them hid under the bench next to Camellia. Her entire body quivered with fright, watching desperately as the metal monsters growled to a stop. They both belched out a cloud of black smoke in near unison.</p>
<p>“Oh <em>no</em>…!” Camellia squeaked in fear as an enormous door swung open. “It’s the Takers!”</p>
<p>A human clambered out of the contraption, clad in a bright blue jumpsuit. A scrap of paper in hand, he scanned the street of houses before waving to his cohort in the other.</p>
<p>“What are the Takers?” Higgle whispered.</p>
<p>“M-my friend Heather, she lives in Striaton City, yes yes.” Camellia quivered. “She told me that they turn up at people’s houses, a-and they… take things…”</p>
<p>“<em>What </em>right have they to do that?!” Higgle sprung to his feet. “They believe they can just claim ownership of others’ possessions?! Why I have half a mind to-”</p>
<p>“Higgle!”</p>
<p>“What, Sparky?!”</p>
<p>“…look.”</p>
<p>Higgle calmed down long enough to follow Sparky’s direction, and his jaw dropped.</p>
<p>The strange men were entering <em>their</em> house.</p>
<p>“What?!”</p>
<p>Face twisted with fury, Higgle charged forward. “How dare they! I-I am going to-”</p>
<p>“Noooo, no no no!” Camellia burst from the safety of the bench and held him back. “Stay here, please! These are bad humans! They might take you too!”</p>
<p>“I don’t care!” Higgle tore himself from her grip. “Those are our possessions, our home! They cannot take our things!”</p>
<p>“But Higgle, wait!” Sparky jumped forward. “So what if they take a couple of things! We’re fine as long as we’ve got each other, okay?! We don’t need stuff to be a family…”</p>
<p>Higgle’s chest rose and fell heavily. Raw, primitive emotions flooded his veins, and the desire to teach these awful humans a jolly good lesson was intoxicating. But Sparky’s wide-eyed gaze pleaded up at him silently, and the throbbing fury slowly ebbed away…</p>
<p>Higgle massaged his forehead. “I-I suppose.”</p>
<p>Retreating back behind the bench, the three of them watched silently as their possessions were carried from the house by the strange men; the couch, the old TV, the dining table…</p>
<p>“<em>Why</em> must they do this?” Higgle seethed.</p>
<p>“You remember those shiny circles I told you about earlier?” Camellia said as two men walked right past them carrying stacks of chairs. “Well, you can trade things for those shiny circles, yes yes. And big things like TVs are worth a lot of circles, so that means they can get lots of food…”</p>
<p>“By the looks of it, they don’t need any more feeding.” Sparky growled. “That one looks like he’s had enough for all of them.”</p>
<p>“Now now, Sparky.” Higgle’s voice softened. “They may be taking our possessions, but that is no reason to-”</p>
<p>“Hey! What the?! Noo! Lemme<em> goooo</em>!”</p>
<p>“Socks?!” Both Higgle and Sparky yelled in unison. Two burly men were struggling to pull the little Furret from the building, who was wrestling with all her might to escape.</p>
<p>“Let me go, you nasty yucky humans! I don’t like this! Arghhh! Trainerrr!”</p>
<p>“No!” Higgle leapt forward. “I am sorry, Madam Camellia!”</p>
<p>The two men finally succeeded in throwing Socks into the back of one of the trucks, when one of them was knocked sideways by Higgle launching himself at them.</p>
<p>“Desist!” He brandished his spoon like a dagger, meanwhile Sparky coated herself in electricity and bodily tackled the other.</p>
<p>“Yaah!” The man gasped. “H-hey, we’ve got hostiles here!”</p>
<p>On his word, more men in jumpsuits appeared from nowhere. Higgle found himself forcefully extracted from the man he had just attacked, and then thrown into the van with a dull clang, followed shortly by a livid Sparky.</p>
<p>“H-hey, what’re you doing?!” She flailed at the closing door. “You guys are stealing <em>our</em> stuff, and then you complain when we fight b-”</p>
<p>“…Sparky.” Higgle muttered, a trickle of blood journeying down his face. “It is alright, dear. We are all together again, so it is o-”</p>
<p>“Silence!” Another voice ordered, hushing the pair of them instantly. Both Sparky and Higgle turned to find a tall brown Pokémon staring them down. With two sharp front teeth and a pair of overlarge eyes, its stare alone was enough. The Pokémon kicked a barely conscious Socks towards them, who fell limply.</p>
<p>“Take your friend, sit down, and shut up. Understand?!”</p>
<p>Higgle nodded quietly, and carefully dragged Socks towards the back corner of the truck.</p>
<p>Their possessions rattled helplessly as the truck’s engine spluttered into life. Gathering the girls into his arms, Higgle held onto what was left.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A Pier Too Far</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was the heavy thudding of rubber soles against concrete as a trio of men marched on. Heaving a bulky metal crate between them, a momentary jangle of keys punctured the ominous atmosphere as a rusty metal door was unlocked and opened.</p>
<p>“These the ones Jeffords told us about?” The one with the keys asked.</p>
<p>His cohort just nodded gravely. “’Fraid so.”</p>
<p>Keys let out a heavy sigh. “What is this world coming to… alright, let’s get them in.”</p>
<p>One of the men took careful grasp on the crate’s front latch while the other two carefully positioned themselves. The latch was lifted, and three Pokémon flopped out of it.</p>
<p>“Okay, quick quick quick…” Keys snapped his fingers, and the three of them started dragging the crate out of the doorway. The smallest of the three Pokémon found its feet and almost immediately dashed for the closing door, squeaking furiously at it.</p>
<p>“Phew! Close one!” Keys wiped his brow.  He knelt down by the cage and frowned at the little Emolga, zipping left and right, scratching and biting at the bars for all it was worth. Meanwhile the Kadabra had taken to dragging an injured Furret somewhere more comfortable. He sighed. For a moment he considered making contact, calming the poor thing down, but that thought was crushed into a closed fist as he stood back up again.</p>
<p>“…right, I’ve got the paperwork,” he said. “Who’s on call?”</p>
<p>“Coleman and Hamilton.” The man on the left grunted.</p>
<p>Keys nodded. “Right, who wants to take watch?”</p>
<p>The two men glanced to each other. Bumping fists softly, they shook three times before one revealed a fist, the other a flat palm.</p>
<p>"Dammit!" The first one groaned. "Looks like it's me, boss."</p>
<p>"Hey, don't look so down." The boss put a hand on his shoulder. "You get the comfy chair."</p>
<p>There was a vague shrug of agreement. Two of the three men disappeared down the hall before the first took a seat behind the desk.</p>
<p>
  <em>Meanwhile…</em>
</p>
<p>“Hey! Hey! Get back here and let us out already! We don’t belong here dammit!” Sparky shrieked to no one in particular. She rattled the bars of the cage and loosed a flare of electricity into the metal, causing the lights to flicker.</p>
<p>The human looked up in annoyance, but then just looked back down again.</p>
<p>“Hey! Yeah, hey, you! Get over here and let us out!” Sparky yelled at him. “I <em>can</em> be louder!”</p>
<p>She rattled the bars some more and let out high pitched yelps, which echoed through the room.</p>
<p>“Sparky!” Higgle hissed at her. “Perhaps we should not anger the humans further?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, ‘cause that’ll work!” Sparky scoffed. “Just you sit back, Higgle. I’ll get us outta here before you can-”</p>
<p>“I know you are frustrated,” Higgle cut in. “But for now, we will just have to make the most of it. Do you understand?”</p>
<p>“Most of it?” Sparky threw her arms out. “How’re we gonna do that, Higgle?! We don’t know why we’re here, or where here is! We don’t even have a TV! And another thing,-”</p>
<p>“Getting angry will not help anyone, Sparky.” Higgle said flatly.</p>
<p>“It <em>might!”</em> Sparky shrieked, running her electrified paws along the metal bars and unleashing awful static noises. “If we make all of the noise, they’ll <em>have </em>to come check on us, and then we can-”</p>
<p>“Sparky!” Higgle yelled. The little Emolga rounded on him almost immediately, but Higgle met her fury with a single furious gesture to his lap. The rage dissolved from Sparky’s face like cotton candy falling into water when she finally took notice of Socks.</p>
<p>“Sorry, Sparky…” The Furret mumbled, her eyes lidded and heavy. “I-I don’t like loud noises very much right now, so could you be a little quieter please?”</p>
<p>“Oh gosh, Socks…!” Sparky fell to her knees and wrapped herself around Socks. “I-I didn’t mean to hurt you or anything! I-I was just mad at the humans, and…”</p>
<p>Her face crumpled up as she leaned into her two siblings and let out loud, hearty sobs. Had their lives really gone from perfect to <em>this</em>, in just a couple of days?</p>
<p>What even happened to start it all? Why hadn’t Miss Holly said anything? Didn’t she love them enough? Trust them?</p>
<p>What there anything they could’ve done…?</p>
<p>“I hate this, Higgle.” She sniffled. “W-what’re we gonna do now?”</p>
<p>She slowly looked around; it really was that bleak. There was a big bed in one corner, but a patronising litter tray opposite, and one tiny window as their only source of light. Even if they could escape this dump, what then?</p>
<p>“I… believe this is only a temporary means of accommodation,” Higgle stroked his chin. “So while we are here, I suppose we should make ourselves as comfortable as possible. There should be a pillow or cushion of some description on the bed behind us, Sparky. Could you retrieve it for me, please?”</p>
<p>“Uh huh,” sparky nodded, scrambling over to the bed.</p>
<p>“Whoa!” She gasped, pulling the pillow away and falling backwards. “W-what the?!”</p>
<p>“Sparky!” Higgle snapped. “Shhh!”</p>
<p>“But!” Sparky cried, her breath short and ragged. “But there’s a-”</p>
<p>“Whoa, sorry there!” Another voice called. “Didn’t mean to scare ya, eh?”</p>
<p>“F-f-friend or foe?!” Higgle sputtered, craning his body around.</p>
<p>“Noo need to be afraid o’ me, buddy!” The voice replied, and the owner slowly waddled closer on soft, padded feet.</p>
<p>Standing a metre or so tall, there was an oaky brown Pokémon on the other side of the bars. With its glossy pelt, huge front teeth and vacant expression, it nevertheless chuckled heartily. “Call me Rufus eh?”</p>
<p>Higgle closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath. How did he not notice another Pokémon sitting just a few feet away from them? It seemed friendly enough at least, he supposed...</p>
<p>“You... may call me Higgle.” He raised his head high. “These are Sparky and Socks. Was there… something you wished to say?”</p>
<p>“Aw, naah, I was just sayin’ hi.” Rufus said. “It’s been a while since someone else was here, y’know?”</p>
<p>“Hmm,” Higgle tapped fingers together. “Do you know where this is, perchance?”</p>
<p>Rufus shook his head enthusiastically. “Nope! I have no idea!”</p>
<p>“…oh,” Higgle deflated. “Do you… know why you are here, at least?”</p>
<p>“O-oh yah, I know that one!” Rufus snorted. “I’m here because I lost my trainer!”</p>
<p>“L-l-lost?!” Sparky shrieked. “So this is a place for bad Pokémon who lose their trainers?!”</p>
<p>“Yah, it was really strange eh?” Rufus chittered on. “We were walking through this forest, and there was a biiiig tree in the way! So I asked Sir ‘Do you want me to cut down that tree for you, Sir? Cause I can cut that tree down real good!’, and Sir nodded, which meant that he wanted me to cut the tree down!”</p>
<p>Sparky frowned at him, finally remembering to hand Higgle the cushion she had grabbed earlier.</p>
<p>“So I got to work cuttin’ down the tree, like Sir wanted me to!” Rufus blinked slowly. “It took a looong time, because it was a big tree, but I cut it down real good like I always did! But then I went to go tell Sir, and he was nowhere to be found!”</p>
<p>“Nowhere to be found?” Higgle frowned. “So your trainer… abandoned you?”</p>
<p>“Aw naah, Sir is too nice to do that,” Rufus chuckled. “I just lost track of him, eh?”</p>
<p>Higgle’s head was pounding. “S-so how exactly did you end up here?”</p>
<p>“Ohh, some nice humans brought me here! I got a nice ride in the comfy van and everything!” Rufus said. “The best I can figger, it’s like a lost and found but for Pokémon as well as things!”</p>
<p>“Lost and found?” Higgle said. “That makes no sense. We most certainly were not lost…”</p>
<p>“I’m sure Sir will find me again and we’ll be happy together again!” Rufus sighed happily. “So anyway, enough about me. What brought you all here? It’s been a long time since I’ve had cellmates!”</p>
<p>“Cellmates?” Higgle muttered. His thoughts fogged over. Cellmates couldn’t have been just a cutesy name for those who turned up here. Why were they locked in? Forcibly removed from their home? How did the humans know where they to find them?</p>
<p>Higgle’s eyes glazed over. Absent-mindedly twirling one side of his moustache, he said no more.</p>
<p>“…y’okay?” Rufus blinked at him.</p>
<p>Sparky poked Higgle in the shoulder a few times. The Kadabra remained unresponsive.</p>
<p>“He does this sometimes,” she sighed. “W-we’re here because we… also lost our trainer.”</p>
<p>“You guys too?!” Rufus’ eyes lit up. “Aw, don’t you worry eh? You guys’re so cute, I’m sure your trainer will come back and find you in no time at all!”</p>
<p>Socks mumbled something despondent, and Sparky grabbed onto her outstretched paw.</p>
<p>“Um, that’s not gonna happen Rufus,” Sparky sniffled. “You see, our trainer, she… died.”</p>
<p>Rufus’ oblivious smile crumbled. “Ohh, oh gosh! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-”</p>
<p>His face twisted, as if he’d just smelled something nasty. He frowned and grunted to himself for a few moments, “But wait, that doesn’t make any sense. Why’re you guys <em>here</em>? You’re not lost or anything, are you? O-or did the humans wants dollars from you?”</p>
<p>“Doll… ars?” Sparky asked, her confusion bubbling. “What’s a dollars?”</p>
<p>“Well, they’re these things that humans trade for important stuff like food, a-and nice things like couches!” Rufus put his paws together. “They look like paper mostly, but also they can look like shiny circles too, and-”</p>
<p>“-Sh-sh-shiny circles?!” Higgle suddenly burst out of his trance. “Did-did you say the humans wanted shiny circles from us?!”</p>
<p>“I… think so, yah?” Rufus clicked its teeth. “And when they can’t get the dollars they want, they take all of your stuff instead. They must really like those dollars…”</p>
<p>“Oh… oh dear!” Higgle swooned. “That explains everything! Ohh, Lady Holly, why didn’t you tell us?!”</p>
<p>“Tell us what, Higgle?” Socks mumbled. “Did T-Trainer not have any dollars?”</p>
<p>Realisation hit her like a ton of bricks, and the Furret bolted upright. Suddenly she was snorting and huffing with fury. “I-is that why all this bad stuff happened?! Because Trainer didn’t have dollars!?”</p>
<p>“…I think so, Socks.” Higgle muttered slowly, his shame shielded by his arm. “It all… it all makes sense now.”</p>
<p>Suddenly the bruise on Socks’ forehead was forgotten. With a shriek, she lunged for the iron bars and slashed at them repeatedly.</p>
<p>“Damn those humans!” She seethed, pulling at the bars with all her might. “I-I’ll make them pay for hurting Trainer!”</p>
<p>“Socks, do calm down!” Higgle gasped, daring to approach her. “Losing Lady Holly was the fault of no-one, okay?!”</p>
<p>“No Higgle!” Socks fumed, scratching furiously at the concrete wall. “It’s <em>their</em> fault! If they didn’t want all those dollars from Trainer, she would still be here! All happy, and lovely, and nice, and they’re nasty bullies for doing that to Trainer!”</p>
<p>“Please, listen!” Higgle begged, while Rufus and Sparky just looked on with their mouths agape. “Would Lady Holly want you to do this?!”</p>
<p>“Trainer’s not here any more, Higgle!” Socks was <em>biting</em> on the bars. “Don’t you wanna hurt the people that hurt Trainer?!”</p>
<p>“Vengeance is not the answer, Socks!” Higgle insisted. “If we do that, then we are just as deplorable as them!”</p>
<p>“No one is as deplable as them, Higgle!” Socks screeched. “They hurt Trainer!”</p>
<p>She continued to wrench at the bars, grunting and groaning with the effort. Higgle dared to reach out for her with a comforting hand. Maybe actions would speak louder, he reasoned. But he couldn’t even come close before there was a loud metallic snap and the pair were bowled over.</p>
<p>“What the?!” She bounced back to her feet almost immediately. “The hell just happened?!”</p>
<p>She looked down at the section of rusty bar in her paws, her fury slowly dissolving into bemusement.</p>
<p>“Whoooa…” Sparky toddled over. “You broke it.”</p>
<p>Socks yelped and dropped the bar. “I’m sorry! It was an accident! I didn’t mean to! Please don’t be mad!”</p>
<p>“Mad?” Sparky offered a calming handhold. “Why would we be mad, Socks?”</p>
<p>“Because I broke the thing and I’m not suppose to break things because that’s baaaaad!” Socks wailed, coiling up into a ball, meanwhile the human across the room cleared his throat loudly. All four Pokémon looked over to him, sat behind his desk.</p>
<p>“That's better.” He grunted, looking back at his computer.</p>
<p>“…is <em>he</em> mad?” Socks mumbled.</p>
<p>“He’s just grumpy,” Sparky blew a raspberry. “But that’s okay, because <em>look</em>!”</p>
<p>“Look at what, I can’t see it.”</p>
<p>“That’s ‘cause you’re still in a ball, Socks. Try unballing.”</p>
<p>“Um. Is it scary?”</p>
<p>“Can ya just look already?”</p>
<p>Socks’s coils revolved around until there was enough space for her to peek through. “…a hole? Did I do that?”</p>
<p>“Uh huh.” Sparky nodded furiously, “And guess what that means!”</p>
<p>“…it’ll be really cold in here because there’s a whole in the wall?” Socks said.</p>
<p>“What? Nooo, of course not! It means we can escape, silly!” Sparky cried. “D’you think you can squeeze through that and get us outta here?”</p>
<p>“Through there?” Socks slowly uncoiled herself. “…all alone?”</p>
<p>“Yeah! But don’t worry, we’ll be right here!” Sparky said. “You’re the only one who can do it, S-”</p>
<p>Sparky, please.” Higgle interrupted sharply. “We do now know what dangers await out there. For one, there is a human whom we have already angered, and secondly, exactly how do you suppose Socks will help us to escape from here?”</p>
<p>“Well…” Sparky mused, a hand to her chin. “We saw that guy lock the door, right? That means there's keys here somewhere! If Socks can find that key, we can get the door unlocked and get outta here!”</p>
<p>“But we do not know exactly where that key is, Sparky.” Higgle countered. “And what do you suppose may happen if Socks gets caught? She could suffer a fate far worse than ours, and we may be separated for good. We need to <em>think</em> about this, Sparky!”</p>
<p>“I’m the one <em>doin’ </em>all the thinking, dammit Higgle!” Sparky yelled back, meanwhile Socks withdrew.</p>
<p>“I-I don’t like this anymore Sparky. What if Higgle’s right and it’s scary out there?”</p>
<p>“Oh great, now look what you’ve done!” Sparky threw a paw in Socks’ direction. “How’re we gonna escape now?!”</p>
<p>“You suggest escape as if it is the only viable option!” Higgle raged back. “Say we escape from this chamber. What next? A hypothesis is all well and good Sparky, but those grounded in reality may well realise-”</p>
<p>“-you can shove your hypothesises, Higgle!” Sparky cried. “So what if I haven’t worked out all the kinks! At least I’m doing <em>something </em>useful!”</p>
<p>Higgle rose to his feet at a frightening pace. “Useful? How is endangering the remains of our wellbeing <em>useful</em>, dear Sparky? Perhaps your efforts would be put to better use considering your position! Talking back to me like this, ordering Socks around, just who do you think you are?!”</p>
<p>“I’m the one tryna get us outta here, Higgle!” Sparky’s face was about an inch away from his. “Socks has given us a chance and all you’re doing is complaining about <em>safety</em> and <em>hypothesis</em>. Go and pick the damn lock with your spoon or something if you wanna contrib-”</p>
<p>“Why you insolent!” Higgle raised a hand.”</p>
<p>“No Higgle!” Socks shrieked, springing forwards just in time. “Don’t do that! It’ll be bad!”</p>
<p>Higgle’s arm stayed prone. His fist was clenched tightly, and there was a blackened glint in the Kadabra’s eye. Sparky finally broke her gaze, sullenly staring at the ground instead. She dragged one foot across the dirty floor, her nose twitching.</p>
<p>“I-I don’t like it when you fight,” Socks moped, gently letting go of Higgle’s arm. “It… it makes me feel like how I felt when I saw T-Trainer…”</p>
<p>The atmosphere softened almost instantly, with both Higgle and Sparky’s faces dropping. Even Rufus looked ashen from across the way.</p>
<p>“I know it might be scary out there…” Socks rubbed her paws together. “But we can’t be a family if all we do is fight, right? I’ll… go out there and see if I can find that key, okay?”</p>
<p>“Socks, wait!” Higgle raised a hand.</p>
<p>“No Higgle,” Socks muttered, nuzzling the little gap between the bars. “I can’t. We’ll all go crazy and start hating each other if we stay in here, so I gotta-”</p>
<p>“Just <em>one </em>moment!” Higgle urged, turning back to face Rufus. “I-is she in any danger out there?”</p>
<p>“Err…” The Bibarel slowly pondered. “Well, the humans check on us before and after night-time, plus there’s that one over there eh. He looks busy though, so it should be fine? But there’s also the watchy thingies on the walls, so you gotta watch out for those.”</p>
<p>“Watchy… thingies?” Higgle frowned at the slang.</p>
<p>“Uh huh, they’re really weird eh?” Rufus pointed to the corner of the room. “You see that little box on the wall? It watches what we do, and tells the humans if we do something wrong!”</p>
<p>“I see…” Higgle mused. “Is there any way we can subvert it?”</p>
<p>“Well…” Rufus clicked his teeth together, meanwhile the camera on the wall slowly revolved away from them, facing in a different direction.</p>
<p>“Oh, you mean like that? It does that sometimes.”</p>
<p>“Y-yes!” Higgle cried, excitement coursing through him. “Now Socks! Now is your chance!”</p>
<p>“It is?” Socks yelped. “What do I do?!”</p>
<p>“Get over to that wall before the weird box sees you!” Higgle instructed.</p>
<p>Socks squashed her head through the little gap. “I’ll try my best Higgle!”</p>
<p>With some determined scrabbling and frustrated squeaks, Socks forced her skinny body through the gap in the bars. She had to rotate herself several times to not get stuck, but a combination of Furret flexibility and sheer stubbornness had her squeezing herself through the gap, popping out of the other side and rolling across the floor with a clumsy tumble.</p>
<p>“Socks!” Higgle gasped. “A-are you okay, dear?!”</p>
<p>“I’m fine!” Socks wrenched herself back to her feet. “W-what next?”</p>
<p>“Up against the wall, quick!” Higgle pointed. Even as he did so, the camera on the wall began to slowly turn back towards them.</p>
<p>“Quick, she’s coming!” Rufus hollered from the next cell.</p>
<p>“O-o-okay!” Socks dashed for the corner. Her head was throbbing, but this was more important right now, because it meant they could get out of here and be a family again. Rufus was a silly name for an older brother, she giggled to herself.</p>
<p>She flattened herself against the desk before silently bounding over the gap between it and the next wall. Charging softly down the carpeted hallway, empty rooms and other corridors flashed past her vision. Those keys could’ve been anywhere in here, but Sparky and Higgle were counting on her, so she was going to have to find them!</p>
<p>“Keys are shiny…”she muttered to herself, scrabbling under desks and behind pot plants. “So if I find shiny, I find keys!”</p>
<p>She searched every plant and spinny chair she could find, but the keys weren’t hiding there. These humans must’ve been really good at hiding keys, she grimaced. Her luck eventually changed when she brushed past a human’s coat and it jingled, though.</p>
<p>“Aha!” She squeaked victoriously, practically burying herself in the pocket and snatching the metal keyring with her teeth. Just then though, a bell tinkled. Socks fell out of the pocket to see someone edging a door open.</p>
<p>“To your left,” a human voice entered the room, as two burly men heaved a huge box in through the doorway.</p>
<p>“Got it,” his partner grunted in response, and the pair of them plonked the box down on an empty chair. “Right,” he wheezed, wiping his brow. “That’s the last of it?”</p>
<p>“Yup, the rest’s in the truck. Found the owner, too…”</p>
<p>“Oh. Bad?”</p>
<p>“Yup. Stupid kid decided to end it all and abandon her poor Pokémon. They’re in cell C right now I think.”</p>
<p>Something primal surged within Socks. Blood boiling, the metal keyring in her mouth was bending from her rage.</p>
<p>‘They’re talking about trainer!’ she seethed inwardly. Rooted to the spot, her back arched ever higher at the sight of the two men approaching her.</p>
<p>“Whoa, seriously?” The first gasped. “That’s just saddening. Abandoning your Pokémon over a few-”</p>
<p>The pair of them stopped mid-sentence.</p>
<p>On the floor in front of them, a Furret was growling. Digging tiny claws into the carpet, its entire face was wrinkling in fury at the sight of them.</p>
<p>“…how’d a Pokémon get in here?” The first asked.</p>
<p>“I think it got <em>out</em>,” the second responded. “The <em>how </em>is a pretty good question, though.”</p>
<p>Both humans approached Socks slowly.</p>
<p>“Careful now…” One inched closer with his hands outstretched. “It could be hostile.”</p>
<p>“No shit, just look in its eyes.” The other deadpanned.</p>
<p>Meanwhile Socks continued growling as the hands quivered closer. Did she teach these humans a lesson? Or did she deliver the keys and free her friends?</p>
<p>“Noo!” Socks leapt into the air. “Nasty humans!”</p>
<p>She slipped through the human’s enclosing hands and landed smoothly on his head. She sprung from that and dashed back down the hall, one of the humans scrambling after her.</p>
<p>“Quick!” Socks gasped, tumbling to a halt in front of their cell and throwing the keys at Higgle. “We gotta go now! The people are-”</p>
<p>But then an alarm started blaring from nowhere, and the room’s lighting was swapped out for a dark, ominous red. The human behind the counter snorted in surprise and stood to attention.</p>
<p>“Oh no!” Higgle gasped. “What happened Socks?!”</p>
<p>“The humans came back!” Socks cried. “But don’t worry, I’ll go get-”</p>
<p>“Heyyy, you’re not supposed to be outside!”</p>
<p>All four of the Pokémon slowly looked up at him. Impossibly tall, darkened by the blood red lights, his intentions were unreadable.</p>
<p>The man stretched a hand forward slowly, and crept closer to Socks, whose back went up immediately.</p>
<p>“It’s okay, it’s okay…” his words were calming, but his voice was heavy. “We’re all friends here…!”</p>
<p>The man swallowed, and made a quick glance to the left. Then the right. With a sigh, he muttered dark words under his breath. But before he could even bend down, the Furret was scampering down the hallway, away from him. He swore loudly and stomped after her.</p>
<p>“Socks, no, wait!” Higgle called after her, his cry quickly falling on deaf ears. “Ohh, bother. Sparky, we must act quickly!”</p>
<p>He scooped up the little Emolga and then propped her as high as he could reach, shaking viciously as she tried to organise the heavy keys.</p>
<p>“Higgle! Quit movin’ around so much, okay?! I can’t use the damn keys with you shaking like that!”</p>
<p>“S-s-sorry!” Higgle gasped, focusing everything he had into keeping still. A bead of sweat trickled down Sparky’s face as she heaved and twisted the set of keys, attempting to fit each and every one into the tiny lock. Five attempts before the metal finally scratched into place, twisting and unlocking the door at last.</p>
<p>“Gotcha!” Sparky cried, wrenching the door open at last. Higgle snatched her up and took off down the hall, throwing the set of keys towards Rufus. "We will return for you, Rufus!"</p>
<p>"Oh gee, that's great!" Rufus cried. "It's fine if you don't though eh?"</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a determined Socks was bouncing around the office, furiously keeping three humans at bay. She dove underneath one of the men while a second lunged for her and missed horribly, and the third swung a net, catching his cohort’s head in it instead. Socks ricocheted off an office chair and whipped one of the men in the face with her long tail, landing smoothly on the carpet.</p>
<p>“Guys, you made it!” She cried, a smile breaking across her face despite the steely look in her eyes. “C’mon, let’s get outta here!”</p>
<p>“I shall condone the violence just this once, okay Socks?” Higgle almost laughed. “Now let us find an exit!”</p>
<p>“O-oh, that’s this way!” Socks chittered, bouncing across tables to reach an open window.</p>
<p>“Oh hang on, what about Rufus?” Sparky suddenly chimed. “We can’t just leave him here!”</p>
<p>“…yes of course.” Higgle nodded. “We should double back and-”</p>
<p>“Wah!”</p>
<p>There was a swish and a slap, and Sparky found herself trapped inside a net. “Ahhh, get me outta here!” she flailed against the tough netting.</p>
<p>“Sparky!” Higgle cried, but Socks was there first, bounding across the tables. The human was busy fighting with a trapped Sparky, and didn’t notice Socks charging headlong into him. He lost his grip on the net and clutched at his nose, meanwhile Socks slashed furiously at the net to free Sparky.</p>
<p>“Sparky…” she nuzzled against the tiny Emolga, but their victory was short lived as a door banged open and several more net wielding humans charged in.</p>
<p>“Agh, there’s too many of them!” Sparky cried</p>
<p>“But the door is open!” Higgle pointed, and they charged towards the exit, jumping and slipping out of reach of other humans.</p>
<p>“W-what about Rufus?!” Sparky pleaded.</p>
<p>“We shall have to return for him at a later date!” Higgle yelled, swerving out of the way as a human dove past.</p>
<p>“I guess…!” Sparky muttered, hitting a human in the leg with a charged tackle. She flinched and hit another human in the back of the head with her net, which opened up a bit of room. She scampered around one outstretched leg,</p>
<p>“Sparky!”</p>
<p>And took one almighty leap, barely dodging the swing of another net to barrel roll through the doorway, emerging into fresh air at last!</p>
<p>“Alright!” she cried, throwing her little hands into the air triumphantly. “We made it!”</p>
<p>The fanfare would’ve been nice, she chuckled to herself. They’d just escaped prison after all. Sure, she had no idea where they were, what they were going to do next, or where they were going to live, but they were together. And free. That was the important bit. She turned around to get a proper look at her two best friends, out of breath and victorious, just like her.</p>
<p>But they weren’t there.</p>
<p>Panic avalanched within her. Where were they?</p>
<p>“Guys, no!” She gasped, raising her hands to her mouth.</p>
<p>Socks laid flat on the ground, unconscious, surrounded by several humans wielding nets and angry faces, while Higgle struggled against the snare of another net.</p>
<p>“No!” She cried, tears welling up in her eyes. “But that’s not fair! We worked so hard! We were so close! You let my friends go!”</p>
<p>“Sparky!” Higgle shouted to her. “Go! You must escape from here!”</p>
<p>“B-but-”</p>
<p>“There’s the other one!” A human yelled, a several of them took off after her. “Don’t let it escape!”</p>
<p>Sparky shrieked, rolling out of the grasp of another net, then dashing away from the building and leaving Socks and Higgle behind. Her vision blurry for tears, she scampered blindly through the concrete jungle. Everywhere she turned was either buildings as high as she could see, or unchanging grey pathways that stretched on forever. Short of occasional boxes or trash cans, there was nothing and nowhere she could even recognise.</p>
<p>Scrabbling around a corner and huddling between a dirty cardboard box and an old dumpster, she silently choked for breath as a net wielding human closed in on her. The woman crept quietly, scanning for movement. Sparky flinched when the box next to her was kicked, and had to suppress a scream when an enormous black boot thudded down just a few inches away from her. She glanced around. There was a little gap behind her. Maybe she could squeeze through that and make her escape. Maybe she could-</p>
<p>The human standing above her sighed deeply. The handle of her net smacked the ground with a sharp clatter, and Sparky could swallow her heart again at last, watching the woman slowly trudge away. She pulled a phone out of her pocket and spoke at it for a moment, before turning the corner and leaving.</p>
<p>She gave it a couple more minutes, just to be sure, before crawling out from behind the box. She craned her neck upwards, and could still only really see building. Just endless dirty bricks, stretching as far as she could see. There was light but it was also dark and yet somehow also raining?</p>
<p>Her stomach was gurgling at her; it must’ve been about lunchtime. What was she going to do about food in a big city? Dumpsters were all dirty and full of garbage, but maybe they had food?</p>
<p>And then there was Higgle and Socks? How was she going to rescue them? Even finding her way back was going to be enough of a mission. Following that human back was way too dangerous, because what if they saw her? She was going to have to go at night time or something and then find a way to break in and then repeat the whole thing but without getting caught, and…</p>
<p>Something deep within her withered and died on the spot. It was impossible, wasn’t it? She was lucky enough to escape on her own, let alone with Socks and Higgle as well. And now she was all alone, and lost, and hungry, in a strange city full of boring grey endless buildings that smelled funny.</p>
<p>Sparky sobbed loudly. It was all her fault. It was her who convinced Socks to try and break them out. She should’ve just listened to Higgle and sat there like a good girl. Maybe then the humans would’ve seen the mistake they’d made and let them go home again… or something.</p>
<p>She couldn’t even go back now. She’d attacked the humans. There was no way they were gonna take her back. She was just going to have to find some way to survive in this dump, and be all alone and miserable and-</p>
<p>“Hey kid,” Something spoke. Sparky yelped and spun around, watching as something green and filthy slapped its way towards her.</p>
<p>“You new here?” It said. Little more than a trash bag with teeth, the Pokémon nevertheless narrowed its eyes at her in suspicion.</p>
<p>“Uhh, y-yeah,” Sparky sniffled. Talking to strangers was a bad idea – Miss Holly told her this all the time. But Miss Holly wasn’t here, and Socks and Higgle weren’t either. She was more lost than ever. “I uh, don’t know where I am. C-can you help me?”</p>
<p>“Help?” Another voice spoke from the shadows. An orange, lizard-like Pokémon stepped forward. With a baggy yellow outer skin covering most of its body and an intimidating red crest on its head, it looked so much more threatening than the trash bag. “Youse are walkin’ into our territ’ry, and you want help? That don’t sound too smart, does it Trub?”</p>
<p>“No it don’t.” ‘Trub’ agrees, belching a haze of putrid smoke in Sparky’s direction. “So unless you’re a customer…” it spat, “you’re an intruder. And what do we do to intruders, Scraff?”</p>
<p>The lizard pounded took a draught from its cigarette, then crushed it in its hand. “Get the picture, kid?”</p>
<p>“I-I do! I get the picture real good!” Sparky put up quivering paws. “What… kinda things do you guys sell?! I’ll be your best customer ever!”</p>
<p>Trub and Scraff smirked at each other. “…yeah, definitely an intruder.”</p>
<p>“Wait wait, please!” Sparky begged. “I’ll go away, I promise! I just dunno where I am!”</p>
<p>“All the better.” Scraff pulled another cigarette out of nowhere. “No one’ll miss you that way.”</p>
<p>“Noo!” Sparky cried, tearing down dark and dirty streets once again. Crashing into various boxes and discarded trash, running down dead ends and having to turn back on herself, the other two kept up with her easily as she scarpered through the dirty brick labyrinth. She chanced upon a burst of light and emerged into a crowded street full of yet more humans. Stalking forwards and staring at their phones, they didn’t even notice the gaggle of Pokémon scrambling between them.</p>
<p>“No no, please!” She gasped, tripping over herself and shuffling down wooden planks, away from her pursuers. “Why’re you being so mean?!”</p>
<p>“The world’s a mean place, kid.” Scraff chuckled.</p>
<p>“But you don’t have to <em>be</em> mean!” Sparky glanced over her shoulder. She was running out of pier.</p>
<p>“So innocent…” Trub laughed. Scraff knelt down to her level. Her eyes, brimming with unshed fear, stared back into his empty pupils.</p>
<p>“You know, you’re right.” He deadpanned. Sparky frowned, only to get a smirk in response. With a puff of his cigarette, he blew the smoke right into her face. “We like it this way!”</p>
<p>Sparky coughed and spluttered, backing away from the smoke. Splintered wood creaking underfoot, she stumbled backwards, and suddenly there wasn’t any pier left.</p>
<p>With a shriek of surprise, Sparky slipped from the pier and fell onto something hard. </p>
<p>Scraff just huffed victoriously before disappearing back into the crowds.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Evening everyone, here's an update for you all. Quite the lengthy chapter, but I'm sure that's not a bad thing, right?</p>
<p>As always, feel free to leave feedback if you've got anything to say, and thanks for reading. :)</p>
<p>Over and out.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Lost But Not Forgotten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <span class="u">Lost But Not Forgotten</span>
  </strong>
</p><p>Prison cells were cold, uninviting places at the best of times.</p><p>Two Pokémon cuddled into each other, forgetting the world going on around them. For they were once three.</p><p>“D’you… think Sparky’s okay, Higgle?” Socks the Furret moped into her companion’s shoulder, her eyes glittering.</p><p>“I…” Higgle’s voice caught. Was there any benefit in inspiring false hope, he wondered. An optimistic lie was all well and good, but he had done enough of that lately. Perhaps it was time to simply concede.</p><p>"…I don’t know, Socks. I would hope so.”</p><p>Socks let out a sniffle, which rippled along her skinny body. “It’s scary that you don’t know, Higgle…”</p><p>Something deep inside of Higgle withered. She was exactly right. Sometimes there was no correct answer, and that harsh reality sent prickles down his spine. Blinking furiously at the ceiling, he wrapped his arms tighter still around Socks.</p><p>What else was there in this world, after all?</p><p>“I-if I didn’t fall asleep like that,” Socks sniffled. “Then we’d all be together and free from this nasty place, a-and-”</p><p>“It is not your fault, dear, He stroked a hand across the length of her back. “You have been through enough already, so do not beat yourself up over this…”</p><p>“Oh yah, don’t be sad!” Rufus the Bibarel chipped in from the adjacent cell. “You got really close eh? Why, I’m sure you’ll do even better next time!”</p><p>Socks’ sniffling only got louder.</p><p>“There… will not be a next time, I am afraid.” Higgle muttered slowly. He shot Rufus a glance, but couldn’t bring himself to chide. “Sparky… she was our driving force. I had not noticed until lately, but she was always the one who took action when it was required. Without her… w-without… her…”</p><p>Higgle’s sentence dissolved where it stood, as he fell away into large sobs.</p><p>“M-maybe you could try and find her?” Rufus said quietly. “And then you’d be together again eh? A-and then-”</p><p>“An appreciable suggestion, Rufus.” Higgle lifted his head. “Yet fruitless, I am afraid…”</p><p>He clenched a fist as a fresh wave of grief battered him; that was what got them into this mess in the first place…</p><p>“Even if we were to escape, we would not know where Sparky could possibly be. Furthermore, we are far away from home in a strange city.” He buried his head in Socks’ soft fur. “I would give anything just to have our little sister back…” </p><p>Even Rufus looked downhearted. He placed his paws on the bars and gave them a gentle shake. “I-I wish these bars weren’t here…”</p><p>“You and me both…” Socks muttered.</p><p>“Y-yeah, because then I could go over to you guys and give you both lotsa big hugs!” Rufus lit up immediately. “That’d cheer you both up, eh?!”</p><p>“No no, Rufus, that is not what she-” Higgle began, but Socks’ head suddenly sprang up, “W-what is wrong, Socks?”</p><p>“I hear walking…” she muttered, her eyes narrowing. “What’re those nasty humans up to now?”</p><p>All three Pokémon focused for a moment, listening to the soft clapping of shoes on concrete. Socks’ ears twitched; the noises were softer than when the nasty people threw them in here, but they were still human noises so they were bad.</p><p>She snuggled into Higgle, bracing for more bad things.</p><p>But then a strange voice wobbled timidly down the hallway.</p><p>“H-Hello?” The soft, little voice quivered. “H-hi there, Mister. Do… do you have any Pokémon here right now please?!”</p><p>The voice trailed off into a tiny squeak, followed by a draught of heavy breathing. Socks uncoiled from Higgle. Just a little.</p><p>“It’s okay honey, you tried…” Another, older voice said. “Good afternoon. Graham, is it? We’ve just moved here from another region, and my daughter here’s looking to give a Pokémon a second chance. I don’t suppose you’ve any up for adoption?”</p><p>“Welll…” One of the guards replied, and Socks flinched. “We <em>do </em>have a couple of Pokémon in right now, but I’m not so sure these ones are fit for adoption. Are you sure you don’t want to just <em>catch </em>a new Pokémon instead?”</p><p>“B-but…” the little voice said. “But what about those poor Pokémon in there that don’t have trainers? They’d be so lonely…”</p><p>“Listen sweetie…” The older voice – maybe her mother, Socks reasoned – said. “Some of these Pokémon have been mistreated. They might not be so… accepting of a new trainer. Are you absolutely sure?”</p><p>“S-sure I’m sure!” The little voice responded, a hint of confidence wiggling into her voice. “All Pokémon need to be loved… don’t they?”</p><p>“And you’re certain you don’t want to catch your own Pokémon and love that one instead?” Her mother asked again. “That way it’ll be <em>your</em> Pokémon, not an empty shell of someone else’s.”</p><p>“T-that’s not very nice, Mum…” The little voice shook. “J… just because a Pokémon doesn’t have an owner anymore, it doesn’t mean they’re like broken or something! I want to love those ones too…”</p><p>“…okay.” Her mother’s voice hardened. “I suppose we can at least have a look.”</p><p>“Alrighty,” Graham said gruffly. A jangle of keys rang down the hallway, followed by three sets of footsteps. Socks watched carefully as the guard rounded the corner first. “Say, that’s a cute accent there. Where’d you guys move from?”</p><p>“Galar,” the mother said. “A town called Motostoke, if you’ve heard of it?”</p><p>“Ahh…” the guard chuckled. “My aunt moved out there a few years ago. Sends me tea every now and again. Great stuff, too.”</p><p>Socks’ tail swished impatiently. These humans were so nasty yesterday, but they were talking together so happily now?</p><p>Maybe they weren’t so bad after all, she pondered. But then the guard rounded the corner, with his bandaged and nasty face and suddenly Socks remembered why she hated them all so much. He was the nastiest one of all, trying to catch her inside a yucky net. Her nose wrinkled as he got closer.</p><p>“You okay Rufus?” Graham smiled, waving at the Bibarel. Rufus made a chittering noise in response and shot back a thumbs up. He shook his head fondly. “We’ve had Rufus here for a few years now…” he explained to the two behind him. “He’s basically become our little mascot since then. ‘Fraid he’s not up for adoption though.”</p><p>Graham’s heavy boots stopped in front of their cage, and Higgle yelped as Socks’ claws came out. She glared up at him as the keys slipped into the lock, but didn’t move a muscle.</p><p>“These two are the ones we have available at the moment.” He said. Still not breaking his staring contest with Socks, he stepped aside to give his guests a better look.</p><p>“Oh wow…” the little voice spoke. Socks finally broke her gaze with the guard and instead stared up at her. She looked younger than Trainer, with long blonde hair and black glasses. This human looked a lot friendlier than the guard, who was still giving her all of the nasty stares. She knelt down so that they were face to face, and Socks felt her anger fade away almost instantly.</p><p>“Hello there…” She waggled her fingers on the other side of the cage. “…they look so scared.”</p><p>“Not surprised,” Graham folded his arms. “Their trainer abandoned them and left them to fend for themselves.”</p><p>Socks recoiled back into Higgle’s embrace.</p><p>“Thrown out into the big bad world all alone like that, you’d be scared too huh?”</p><p>The girl nodded, her eyes shining with questions. “A-are you sure? These Pokémon don’t look angry? They just look… sad.”</p><p>“I dunno, the little one definitely doesn’t like me.” Graham rubbed at his cheek. “You should’ve seen them earlier today. They were fighting to get outta here like there was no tomorrow.”</p><p>“M-makes sense…” The girl didn’t break her gaze. “Being trapped in a place like this, it’d drive anyone bonkers.”</p><p>She glanced up. “H-hey Mister Graham, c-can I go in there? It’s… a little bit hard to make friends with them through these bars…”</p><p>“Catherine!” Her mother gasped. “They could be dangerous!”</p><p>“I-I know, Mum…” Catherine tucked her hands into her baggy sleeves. “B-but how can I get to know them and make friends and stuff if I can’t even… touch them?”</p><p>She pressed her hand against the bars; too close together to even squeeze a finger through.</p><p>“If you can’t make contact, how can you make friends?” She glanced up at the two adults.</p><p>Graham and Catherine’s mother stared at each other, a tacit exchange.</p><p>“Alright then,” he grunted. “I won’t sugar coat it; they might attack. Be extra cautious, okay? I’ll be right outside if something goes wrong…”</p><p>“I-is this human nice, Higgle?” Socks whispered into his ear. “She doesn’t seem nasty, not like stinky meany there.”</p><p>“I… I suppose we will have to find out, Socks.” Higgle answered slowly.</p><p>The rusty cell door groaned closed, with Graham holding the keys in his hand.</p><p>Still a little sniffly, Socks stretched out her long, skinny body before standing up straight and meeting Catherine’s hazel gaze.</p><p>“Hello there, little Furret.” She smiled. Sat cross-legged in front of them with her blue denim jeans, stripy sweater and black beanie hat, she slowly extended a hand towards Socks. “My… My name’s Cat. Can we be friends?”</p><p>Socks shot Higgle a nervous glance, and Higgle just nodded back at her. She tiptoed forward to meet the hand and cringed as human fingers made contact. But the touch was nice. If she closed her eyes, it was almost like Trainer was playing with her again.</p><p>Socks sniffled loudly and dashed forwards, practically throwing herself into the teen’s lap.</p><p>“O-oh gosh!” Catherine cried, running a hand down the Furret’s back. “Oh, you’re so friendly!”</p><p>“Catherine, be careful!” Her mother shrieked from the other side of the bars. “You don’t just pick up a strange Pokémon! It could claw you to death!”</p><p>“But Mum…!” Cat giggled. “Look at this little one! She’s not gonna attack me!”</p><p>She cradled the little Furret in her arms. “Everything’s okay. I’m right here for you…”</p><p>And for the first time in days, Socks found herself smiling. Even if it was just for a moment, she could forget her sadness because of this strange young human.</p><p>“I like this one, Higgle…” Socks’ eyes sparkled as she nuzzled into Catherine. “She says nice words, and treats me good too.”</p><p>Higgle frowned at the pair of them. How bizarre, he pondered internally. For all of her rage just a few hours ago, she was cuddling up to this human like they were friends from times past.</p><p>“See Mum?” Cat looked up to her mother. “It doesn’t matter what happened to them. It’s the <em>now </em>that’s important. If you trust them, they’ll… trust you?”</p><p>“Just be <em>careful</em>!” Her mother insisted, her eyes bulging. “Have you seen the claws on that thing?!”</p><p>“…I have.” Graham huffed.</p><p>“I’ll be okay, don’t worry Mum,” Catherine smiled. “Hello there, Mister Kadabra. Are you and Furret friends?”</p><p>Higgle just narrowed his eyes at her. Of course they were friends. She had seen them embracing, surely.</p><p>Perhaps he was overthinking. Maybe it was just a mere ice breaker. That was how humans formed a rapport, after all. Slowly, he nodded at her.</p><p>“Heehee, you’re such a gentleman.” She giggled. “Ooh, I know!”</p><p>Reaching up, she plucked the black beanie from her head and shook her blonde curls back into place. “H-here you go!”</p><p>For a moment, Higgle’s world was enveloped in darkness as the itchy hat was squashed onto his head.</p><p>“A gentleman needs a hat, isn’t that right?”</p><p>Higgle flailed to raise the woollen edges of the beanie back above his eyes.</p><p>“You look funny, Higgle…” A drowsy Socks chittered from Catherine’s lap.</p><p>Confusion throbbed somewhere in the depths of Higgle’s mind. She had given him a hat?</p><p>Bestowing one’s belongings upon another was a request of trust, was it not?</p><p>The beanie hat had his vision reduced to a mere fuzzy horizon, but what little he could make out showed this young woman beaming brightly at him.</p><p>Higgle blinked rapidly. Could they really trust her?</p><p>“Oh, where are my manners?” She held an arm out. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mister Kadabra!”</p><p>A faint smile touched at Higgle’s face. She was finally speaking a language he recognised.</p><p>He slowly extended a hand to meet hers, only for his balance to fall away sideways as she tugged on the arm and pulled him into her embrace.</p><p>What was left of his vision was swallowed up by the green of her sweater as her arm stretched across his back. His heart was thudding, but of all the bizarre situations he had been subjected to in the past few days, this was downright pleasant by contrast.</p><p>She seemed genuinely caring, and so blissfully innocent, he smiled to himself. Socks also seemed to enjoy her company. Better yet, she brought a feeling of sanctuary with her. Higgle rested his head against her soft shoulder. Safety…</p><p>“Remember Catherine, you can only take <em>one</em>!” Her mother insisted from behind the bars.</p><p>Suddenly the safe sensation shattered.</p><p>“Wha?” Cat gasped, and all three of them stared up at her mother.</p><p>Just one, Higgle muttered internally. There was no way this was to end fortuitously. Even a failed psychic such as he could tell that.</p><p>“But but!” Cat immediately pleaded. “But they’re only little! We’ve got enough room for both, haven’t we?!”</p><p>“You know how much it costs to keep a Pokémon, dear…” Her mother sighed. “And money is tight enough already! Do you really think adding the upkeep of <em>two</em> Pokémon will help matters?”</p><p>“I-I’ll get a job, and make some money then?!” Cat squeaked, her voice a bizarre tinge of driven and petrified. “You won’t have to spend <em>any </em>money on them, I promise!”</p><p>“That’s a <em>very</em> big responsibility of you, sweetie…” Her mother couldn’t help but smile. “But what about school? You won’t have time to study, work, <em>and </em>take care of them!”</p><p>“I’ll try!” Cat cried, hugging them both tighter. “I’ll try really really hard!”</p><p>“I’m sorry darling,” Her mother looked away. “But you’re only young. How on earth do you expect to take care of yourself and these Pokémon at the same time?”</p><p>“B-but-” Cat mumbled. Suddenly Higgle broke from the hug. Pulling the beanie hat from his head, he gave it back to her and fell to the ground, his eyes shimmering as he stared at the floor.</p><p>“Higgle…?” Socks mumbled to him. “Wh-what’re you doing, Higgle?”</p><p>“You… you deserve happiness, Socks.” Higgle said curtly. “If it means we have to be separated for you to achieve that, then I… I am f-fine with that.”</p><p>“But Higgle…” Socks squeaked, only to find herself carried towards him.</p><p>“You really are a gentleman.” Cat sniffled. “You win Mum. I’ll just take one…”</p><p>And Higgle watched Socks continue to stare at him expectantly as Catherine carried her away; as the door to the cell closed; as the three humans walked back down the hallway.</p><p>Higgle sighed deeply. Bliss was ignorance, he supposed. At least one of them was safe…</p><p>“Aw, it’ll be alright eh?” Rufus the Bibarel chirped from the other cell. “Lots of people come in asking about Pokémon. You’ll be adopted in no time, I’m sure!”</p><p>“…no, it won’t, Rufus.” Higgle groaned, watching his last friend carried away from him, her eyes as large and gleaming as Christmas baubles. “I-I promised Socks we would not be separated scarcely an hour ago, a-and now I have broken that promise. Like everything else I suppose…”</p><p>He continued to stare at the ground. Everything he had promised, said, even considered, had been proven false. What failure of a Pokémon, of a living creature, was he?</p><p>He’d tried his best. Yet failed at every obstacle. Every decision he had made, or not made, was consistently wrong. Perhaps it was time to stop try-</p><p>“Higgle!”</p><p>The Kadabra’s head tilted upwards just slightly. That was Socks’ voice.</p><p>What was she doing? Why was she still here? She was supposed to be with Catherine, to be delivered to happiness.</p><p>But then he saw the little Furret scampering back down the hallway towards him, with Catherine stumbling after her.</p><p>“Higgle, I’m so sorry!” She wailed, trying to squash herself back through the bars and reach for him. “I can’t go! Not without you, Higgle!”</p><p>“Socks…” Higgle dragged himself back to his feet. “B-but why? This could be your only chance at salvaging some aspect of happiness in your life!”</p><p>“I don’t even know what you just said!” Socks spluttered tears everywhere. “B-but I don’t care about that! Who’s gonna teach me long words and stuff if you’re not there, Higgle?!”</p><p>“You will learn!” Higgle cried. “If you put your mind into it, you can achieve anything Socks! Let no one tell you otherwise!”</p><p>“B-but,” Socks moped, staring at him through the bars. “But Higgle…”</p><p>“Now go, Socks.” He smiled weakly. “Our family may be broken, but you can put the pieces back together… okay?!”</p><p>“Higgle…!” Socks wept. Higgle tore his gaze away from her and her enormous eyes. If she left now, he wouldn’t have to fall apart in front of her. He could last a little longer at least…</p><p>The door to the cage rattled. That must have been Socks, he reasoned. But then a familiar figure knelt down in front of him.</p><p>“You forgot your hat, Mister Kadabra.”</p><p>With a small smile, it was Catherine who squashed the beanie hat back onto his head again. “Now let’s go home, yeah?”</p><p><em>‘…what?’</em> He cried inwardly. <em>‘Were you not taking Socks?’</em></p><p>“I-I… I couldn’t split them up,” Her mother clutched at a handkerchief. “I mean, just look at them…”</p><p>“I don’t blame you there, ma’am,” Graham was rubbing his nose. “That was the longest I’d seen them apart…!”</p><p>“I hope you know what you’re doing, Catherine!” Her mother called.</p><p>“I’ll do my best, Mum!” She beamed up at her mother, helping Higgle back to his feet. “C’mon Mister Kadabra! It’s time to go home!”</p><p>Suddenly the weight fell away. Shuffling forwards, he clutched onto Catherine’s hand and followed after her on numb limbs.</p><p>The heavy door screeched shut. Behind him.</p><p>“Higgle!” Socks rushed forwards and wrapped herself around him. “You can come with us now?!”</p><p>“I-I think so.” Higgle smiled. Perhaps sanctuary wasn’t such an exotic ideal after all. Had he perhaps <em>finally</em> gotten one right?</p><p>“Let us <em>both</em> put the pieces back together then, Socks?”</p><p>“That sounds… really nice, Higgle.” Socks nuzzled him. Uncoiling herself from her best friend and simply holding his hand, the pair of them smiled warmly up at their new friend as she led them to freedom.</p><p>Sparky wasn’t there with them, but there was finally some security in their uprooted lives once again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A bit of a timeskip, but after this we'll be focusing on Sparky for the rest of the plot. There'll be a couple moments here and there to see how Socks and Higgle are doing in their new life, but it's all Sparky from now on. </p><p>Thanks for reading, everyone. It means a lot :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Lamentations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning: Scenes of a dark nature ahead. Those with weaker constitutions can consider skipping the bolded section.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sparky’s heart was in her throat. The pier falling away from her, the image of an evil Scrafty leering down at her as she landed on something unbelievably solid. It creaked slightly, and the little Emolga stirred.</p><p>Pain throbbed through her unresponsive body as a debilitating purple haze ate away at her vision. There was the vague sensation of movement beneath her before the last of her consciousness was lost to darkness…</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>“There there, Sparky. It’s okay…”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sparky’s eyes opened slowly. Suddenly she was back at home, surrounded by the warm embrace of none other than Miss Holly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re such a silly billy,” Her lips were smiling, but her eyes weren’t. “Don’t just rush off on your own like that, okay? I know it’s exciting, but we almost lost you out there in the snow…”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What’s… going on?” Sparky mumbled. She must have been dreaming or something. Socks and Higgle were happily playing together with a colouring book on the couch opposite, and there was a huge fire going right next to her and Miss Holly. That was the special fire, Sparky smiled. Miss Holly only got that out when it was really cold outside. She put her paws up to get closer, get a feel of the toasty warmth, but instead a savage cold bit at her.</em>
</p><p>“Whah?!” She yelped. The warmth of the fire and Miss Holly vanished instantly, replaced by cold darkness. A harsh wind slapped the sleepiness out of her, and suddenly she was back in the world of reality. Wooden walls surrounded her on every side, and there was a big gap in the ceiling while a soft, squishy floor comforted her from underneath. They felt like human clothes, she surmised, running her paws across the gentle cotton. They were brightly coloured and long and noodle shaped, sort of like Socks.</p><p>Sparky blinked weary eyes and found the strength to sit up. How long had she been out? Last she knew it was lunchtime, and now it was very much night-time. Her stomach grumbled despondently, a timely reminder.</p><p>“What is this place…?” She shivered, carefully peering out of the gap. She must’ve been in a box of some sort, and wherever she was, there were dozens more of them, illuminated by an approaching beam of light…</p><p>“Oh no!” She squeaked, ducking back into the box and under the clothes just in the nick of time.</p><p>“A-are you sure you heard somethin’?” A human shivered into his walkie talkie, shining a torch in her direction. Hopefully she was buried deep enough in the clothes so he couldn’t see her…</p><p>“A squeaky noise?” The voice grunted, and Sparky felt her stomach clench in panic. “…that ain’t right. Alright, I’ll look around…”</p><p>A sharp static noise crackled, and Sparky heard footsteps – rubber soles on metal – slowly plodding toward her.</p><p>“Ahh, here’s yer problem!” He exclaimed right above her, and her heart lurched. What could she do now? If she moved she’d be seen for sure!</p><p>“Time to shut you up for good.” The man said, and Sparky could feel the sting of tears threaten as gloved hands reached directly for her.</p><p><em>‘No no no…!’</em> She screeched inwardly. She just <em>knew</em> that awful things would happen if this human got a hold of her. But she still couldn’t move. What choice did she have? Every human she’d met so far had been horrible, so why wouldn’t this one? She scrunched her eyes shut and hoped against hope…</p><p>
  <em>*squeak!*</em>
</p><p>
  <em>*creak…*</em>
</p><p>
  <em>*tap, tap, tap*</em>
</p><p>
  <em>*BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!*</em>
</p><p>Frowning at the painful noises, Sparky opened her eyes only to find out that the gap in her box had been filled.</p><p>“That oughta do it.” The human said, tapping the lid of the box with his hand. “Man, you gotta tell off those guys at <em>Castelia Couture</em>, Jeff. Puttin’ a crate together ain’t hard, ya know? Who knows how much we woulda lost if they scarves blew away…”</p><p>There was another burst of crackly static, and the man plunged a hammer into his belt. “Yeah, I found yer squeakin’. The lid on one’a the crates came loose.”</p><p>She lifted her head out of the weird clothes – scarves? Was that what they were called? – and peered through one of the two little holes in the crate. They were almost the perfect size for her, and she could still feel the sharp winds blowing past, but she could see the human walking away from her, speaking into his walkie talkie.</p><p>“Yeah, I know huh? We gotta have words with whoever built them. I tell ya, it’s a mir’cle nothin’ was lost in there.”</p><p>The human lowered his walkie talkie and walked off again, disappearing from Sparky’s vision. She waited another ten seconds or so to be sure before struggling through the mound of scarves and pushing against the lid of the crate with all her might.</p><p>“C’mon, c’monnn…!” She puffed. Exhaustion was nipping at her after just moments however, and she was doing a better job of pushing herself down instead of pushing the lid up, because of the scarves.</p><p>“Ugh, it’s hopeless…” she gasped, her arms drooping. There were only two little holes giving her oxygen after all, and most of that was wind. She collapsed near one of the them and panted for air. It looked like escaping was going to have to wait until she had a better supply. With nothing but the scarves for comfort, she could her hope fading, like the wisps of a dying candle. Where she was, where she was going, why she was there, what was going to happen to her… there were way too many questions for her poor exhausted brain to answer.</p><p>Hours passed. Days passed. Her crate was battered by the elements, bathed in blinding sunlight, even attacked by an errant Wingull at one point. Yet still no one knew of the hungry little Emolga in the box. She was able to confirm that she <em>was </em>on a boat after all, and that she must’ve been going somewhere very far away, because there wasn’t any land for as far as she could see.</p><p>Her eyes drooped from fatigue, but sleeping brought worse horrors. Every time she rested her eyes for more than a few seconds, horrific visions would scar her memory, and that fear kept her awake despite it all. Her stomach protested at her angrily, wanting desperately to be filled, but what could a little Emolga do? There was no escape from the crate, and there was no one to call for help because the humans were nasty.</p><p>She was left alone with her mind, and even it wasn’t the best of companions. Her mind was so hungry that if she stopped focusing for even a second, suddenly these colourful scarves became tasty gummy worms, and the walls of the crate turned into crispy poffin loaf.</p><p>“I’m okay… I’m okay…” She shivered despite the scarves. “I-I’ll find food soon, I’m sure. I can make it.”</p><p>Glancing up at the ‘sky’, she blinked slowly. “Miss Holly, would you be proud of me… then?”</p><p>The last of her strength failed her, and her head fell back, falling victim to the clutches of exhaustion at last.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Hold still, Sparky!” A soft yet stern voice ordered, and the little Emolga’s eyes burst open again. Her vision blurred into place, and once again she found herself back home in Accumula Town. Afternoon sunlight poured in through the windows, and she could see both Socks and Higgle playing outside in the back garden. The tenacious Furret was chasing after Higgle the best she could, just about keeping up with the agile Kadabra. Both of them started taking laps around the big conifer tree, but the sneaky Higgle hatched a plan, teleporting away into the tree’s branches. Socks continued to ‘chase’ him around the tree…</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“I’ll getcha this time, Higgle!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“You’re not gonna get away!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“I’m gonna win!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Heeeeyyyy…!” She whined, shuffling to a clumsy stop after an age of chasing and finally noticing Higgle among the branches. “No fair, Higgle! I can’t do that!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Sparky found herself chuckling at the pair of them, but a sharp pain in her leg drew her attention away. An angry purple bruise on her ankle had her hopping about in agony despite her best efforts, upsetting Miss Holly’s attempts to bandage it up.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“C’mon Sparky…” She sighed, as the little Emolga stumbled about in pain. “The more you jump about, the longer it’s gonna take. So calm your beans, okay?”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“B-but it hurts!” Sparky whined, wobbling on one leg the best she could.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“If you don’t like the pain, you shouldn’t show off so much…” Holly sighed. Her balance getting the better of her, Sparky tumbled on the kitchen countertop and fell down again. Holly’s mouth tightened, and Sparky just looked up at her pleadingly.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“I can’t help falling over, Miss Holly…” She mumbled. She couldn’t even stand still for a few minutes. It was all fine when there were jokes to be made, but Miss Holly didn’t find these ones funny, that was for sure.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Just a wee bit longer…” Holly said. Her delicate finger work carefully tied the tiny band aid around Sparky’s injured ankle. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“There!” She pulled the knot tight. “Now come here, you silly thing…”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Miss Holly pulled Sparky to her chest, where she could hear her trainer’s heartbeat; a soft, steady thumping. Warm and familiar, it had her relaxed and sleepy in moments.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“That’s the fourth time this week you’ve jumped from the big tree…” Holly muttered softly, squeezing her little Emolga. “If you want Socks and Sir Higglesworth to like you, you’ve just got to be yourself, got it?”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“But I-” Sparky started.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Now promise me you’ll stop showing off, okay?” Holly lifted Sparky up and looked her in the eye. “No one likes seeing you get hurt like that…”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Sparky stared back at her owner’s dark blue eyes, but an odd sight had her distracted. Under the gaps in her sleeves, Sparky could see vivid, red scratch marks along Miss Holly’s arms. Suddenly Miss Holly looked a lot more tired, with deep, dark rings under her eyes and a strained, weak smile.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“You’ve been unhappy for this long, Miss Holly?” Sparky mumbled. Tears bubbled in her eyes. This long ago, and she hadn’t noticed? Was she too busy showing off to pay attention?</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Aw, what’s wrong, does it still hurt?” Holly hugged her Emolga tighter. “Tell you what. How about I make you all some pokeblocks? Nice wee treat eh? Will that make it all better?”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“…uh huh.” Sparky whimpered. She glanced upwards only to notice tears streaming down Holly’s cheeks. “Wh-what’s wrong?”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Remember… to always be yourself, Sparky.” Holly sniffled, practically crushing Sparky between her arms. “You’ll make plenty of pals… if you just let them know the real you…”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Sparky felt the blood drain from her face as a bright purple bruise started tunnelling along Miss Holly’s neck, and suddenly the colour washed out of the scene as if it were sucked down a drain, leaving only a putrid greenish grey behind. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>The heartbeat was slowing down. Sparky started flailing, thrashing to escape from Holly’s iron grip.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“What the hell’s going on?!” She cried.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Bliss is fleeting…” Holly muttered thickly, before her arms lost strength and Sparky was dropped to the floor. She scrambled back to her feet, but it was too late. </em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>She was reliving it all over again.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“No! No no no no!” She panicked. But there was nothing she could do.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Her trainer hung lifeless from the ceiling, suspended by only a rope, and her body rocked gently back and forth with a sickening creak.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Lady Holly, what have you done?!” Higgle shouted, appearing from nowhere and shaking Holly as a desperate attempt to revive her. The creaking of the rope just got louder with every shake.</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“Sparky, how could you let her do this?!” Tears were streaming from Higgle’s eyes as he rounded on her. “You could have stopped her! You should have stopped Lady Holly, Sparky! But now it is too late! This is all your fault!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>“No!” Sparky cried, covering her ears with her hands, all the while the creaking of the rope grew louder still. “I-it wasn’t me! I didn’t do it! I’m sorry!”</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Light faded from the scene, and a petrified Sparky found herself lost in darkness. All that remained was the creaking;</p><p>‘creeeaaaak!’</p><p>‘craack!’</p><p>“Just… one… more!” A voice grunted, and another splintering creak had the crate pried open.</p><p>“Noo!” Sparky gasped, bursting from it and running, taking four or five scarves with her. Blinding white light flooded her vision, in every direction, but the tiny Emolga charged on.</p><p>“What the?” A voice cried.</p><p>“How did that get here?!” Another exclaimed. “Quick, someone get Nurse Joy!”</p><p>“It wasn’t… me!” Sparky gasped, her limbs feeling weak and heavy in moments. She struggled forward only a few more feet before her body gave up on her once again, and she collapsed into the cold snow.</p><p>“What’s an Emolga doing here?” Another voice remarked, and a dark-haired human blurred into her vision.</p><p>“Miss Holly? Is that you?” Sparky mumbled. Her body was too tired to even move any more. She felt something lifting her up as her vision faded out into nothingness…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Poor Sparky just can't catch a break, huh?</p><p>She's about as far away from Socks and Higgle as she could be now, ending up in a whole new city. There's a couple of vague hints as to which city, if anyone wants to hazard a guess.</p><p>Note: I know that the bolded section was a huge part of the chapter, so if anyone had to skip it, I do apologise. I just figured it was better to be safe than sorry.</p><p>Anyway, thanks for reading, folks. Over and out :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Different Paths</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A metallic scratching fought against the howling winds as it stumbled into the lock.</p><p>“C’mon…!” She groaned, shielding against the freezing rain as the door refused to co-operate. Frustration eventually reared its head, and niceties were thrown aside as the door gave way to a shoulder charge.</p><p>“Damn thing,” The woman rubbed her shoulder. “Remind me to phone the landlord tomorrow, okay Catherine?”</p><p>She dumped her keys on the nearest flat surface and lowered the hood on her jacket. Nestled under an umbrella and huddling together with a sleepy Furret and a stressed looking Kadabra, her teenager was just standing outside with a vague look on her face.</p><p>“Earth to Catherine!”</p><p>“Wha? O-oh, okay!” She murmured. Ambling through the door with the Furret bundled under her arm and the Kadabra holding her other hand, she nonetheless shook water everywhere negotiating her umbrella into the flat.</p><p>“You can’t just drag them around like that, Catherine…” her mother sighed. “They could get hurt.”</p><p>“I-I was just helping them into the house.” Catherine withdrew into herself. She let go of the Kadabra’s hat and pat him on the head.</p><p>“Pokémon are smart, honey.” Her mother soothed, closing the front door. “And they can work things out on their own, so you don’t have to do everything for them, okay?”</p><p>“…okay,” Catherine nodded. “But this little Furret is sleepy, so I can carry her, right?”</p><p>“If you must…” Her mother stalked into the sitting room opposite and fell into the couch. “Just make sure you treat them properly!”</p><p>“Mum’s so scary, isn’t she Mr Kadabra?” Catherine mumbled. He just frowned up at her.</p><p>“C’mon, let’s go upstairs! I have another friend for you!”</p><p>Higgle nodded, adjusting the itchy beanie hat on his head. Mr Kadabra? Was that his name now? It had a certain endearment, he supposed.</p><p>The first thing he noticed about this new house was the boxes. Dozens of boxes, taking up floor space everywhere he looked. It was a bizarre conundrum. Boxes were usually a means of storing possessions. Why were the possessions inside the boxes, rather than displayed around the house?</p><p>He recalled the mother saying they had recently moved from another region. Perhaps that was why? Had they not had time to unpack yet? The important possessions, like the sofa and television were on prominent display already, so perhaps it was a manner of priorities.</p><p>Higgle carefully watched Catherine’s footsteps as she weaved between the boxes, before mimicking. It was strange that they had so many possessions. Her mother said that Pokémon were expensive to keep. Yet they had all of these things? When Lady Holly moved from Ecruteak City to Accumula Town, the boxes were not nearly this many. Poor Miss Catherine could barely move for them, squeezing her skinny frame between gaps.</p><p>There were far too many questions for one Kadabra to answer. Perhaps it was best to just leave them be for now, as it seemed he was going to be here a while.</p><p>“Almost there Mr Kadabra!” Catherine carefully twisted her upper body to sidle through a particularly awkward gap, holding Socks tighter to her chest before sidestepping through another little gap.</p><p>She lifted her leg away and hopped back to reach a door, meanwhile Higgle narrowed his eyes at the wall of boxes. Skinnier than he yet almost as tall, it presented more of a challenge than initially evident. Climbing seemed feasible, but what if there were valuables inside that particular box? What if he fell through and broke them? And worse still, what if he knocked other boxes down in his attempt?</p><p>Could he even climb something this high? Strength was not exactly his forte…</p><p>Miss Catherine looked to him, and then the door, and to Socks in her arms, then back to him. “Hmm…”</p><p>“W-wait here, okay?” She says, pushing the door open.</p><p>“Here you go, honey…” Higgle could hear her say from the other room. “Look Mythos, new friend!”</p><p>A slow grunt acknowledged her presence, and clumsy footfalls had her making her way back.</p><p>“Ooh, good boy Mr Kadabra. Did you want a hand? I’ll be careful, okay?”</p><p>She knelt down in front of him and tucked her hands under his arms. There was a momentary flash of panic as Higgle felt his weight leaving the ground, yet it seemed as though Miss Catherine was straining.</p><p>He wasn’t that heavy, was he?</p><p>Perhaps he could help out…</p><p>With a burst of energy, Catherine hauled him through the gap between the boxes. “Wow, you’re lighter than I thought!”</p><p>Higgle rolled his eyes. The old powers still worked, it seemed.</p><p>Catherine lowered him again with a thud, and he rubbed his underarms before following after her into her room.</p><p>Despite him, a gasp escaped. Aside from some basic possessions, a couple of books and some scraps of paper, the room was practically empty. A thin flowery pair of curtains did nothing to block the light from outside, and the carpeting was flat against his feet.</p><p>Socks was sprawled out across most of the tiny bed, and an unusual pink and yellow Pokémon was sat in a kiddie pool next to it, barely moving. Its look echoed with familiarity, but Higgle couldn’t recall a name.</p><p>“Look Mythos! Another new friend!” Catherine cried. A smile touching her face for the first time since they’d arrived home, she curled up next to her Pokémon and mimicked its vacant, staring facial expression.</p><p>“Can you say hi to Mr Kadabra, Mythos?” She asked her Pokémon. Higgle just glanced at the strange pink mound, having yet to see it move.</p><p>“…hello there?” He mumbled, slowly kneeling down to meet its stare. Its eyes were pointing in two different directions though, so that was easier said than done. It remained unmoving next to Catherine, with four stubby limbs splashed out across the bottom of the kiddie pool. Mythos blinked dumbly a few times, before <em>eventually</em> letting out a slow, “…hi.”</p><p>“Ooh, good boy Mythos!” Catherine wrapped an arm around him and squeezed. “I knew you could do it!”</p><p>“Mr Kadabra, this is Mythos, my Slowpoke,” She said, and the gears clicked into place. Slowpoke, of course. That was why it looked so familiar. The bizarre yellow tinge atop its head was unusual though. Maybe a different species of Slowpoke, Higgle mused.</p><p>Mythos the Slowpoke blinked a couple more times, and Catherine sat back up again, facing Higgle.</p><p>“S-so… is this place nice, Mr Kadabra?”</p><p>Higgle stood up straight to address her properly. Courtesy is key, after all. Curling his fingers into a fist, he left the thumb pointing outwards, then raised his arm up and put on the most genuine smile he could muster.</p><p>“Oh, you’re so clever!” Catherine shuffled forwards to hug him. If he ever met Rufus again, he was going to have to give his thanks. “Wh-what about the little Furret? Does she like it here too? I guess she’s asleep, so that means she’s comfy… right?”</p><p>Higgle frowned. It was a safe assumption that she was happy enough, given that she had fallen asleep in a strange place. But the validation must have been important to this girl. Why else would she ask?</p><p>He simply nodded. It wasn’t his place to make assumptions on Socks’ behalf, but she was asleep. What could he do?</p><p>“Such a lovely little Furret…” Catherine ran her hand along Socks’ long skinny body. Socks uncoiled and stretched out in response. “…oh! Wait, that’s a thing! You guys might have nicknames!”</p><p>Higgle’s eyes widened. That was an issue. Socks had been Socks ever since they had met. Would she even respond to ‘Furret’?</p><p>He looked around the room. Perhaps there was a spare sock just lying around?</p><p>No such luck, he shook his head. Miss Catherine was obviously the tidy sort.</p><p>She wasn’t wearing socks either, instead donning bulbous foot coverings resembling some dark blue, yellow-eyed rocky Pokémon. There must have been other ways of communicating with humans. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, recalling back from the depths of his memory.</p><p><em>“Okay, watch closely now, Sir Higglesworth.” </em>Lady Holly’s soft voice coursed through his mind. Her blurry hands gestured to the tiny, petrified Sentret hiding behind her leg. Beyond her grey shirt though, Lady Holly disappeared into the shadows.</p><p>“This,” he muttered, mimicking recollected movements and pointing towards a non-existent object on the ground. “Is,” he curled his hand into a circle shape, sticking out his pinky finger and pointing to his bottom lip with it, then pointing in front of him.</p><p>“…S-Socks!” He gasped, pointing towards his own feet with both index fingers and rubbing them against each other. A surge of adrenaline ignited in his veins. He’d remembered! And from so long ago too! Miss Catherine would be able to understand!</p><p>“H-her name is Socks!” He repeated the movements, smiling broadly.</p><p>“Nuuu, I don’t like blue poke puffs…” Socks muttered in her sleep, and Miss Catherine stared at him blankly.</p><p>The pride seeped out of Higgle like a punctured balloon. She wasn’t aware of that communication method, clearly.</p><p>He looked around the room again. What other ways were there…?</p><p>“Can you… write it?” Miss Catherine suggested, standing up and grabbing some paper and a pen from her desk.</p><p>Higgle frowned at the pen. It was completely unwieldy, especially with the pokeball charm on a spring, but maybe it could work?</p><p>Wielding it in one hand like a stabbing motion, he scratched boxy shapes across the paper.</p><p>“…this is impossible!” He raged at it after mere minutes. “How are Socks and Sparky so good at this?! It is laboriously difficult!”</p><p>He glared at the pen, then the paper again. “That is not a sock! It more closely resembles a fishing rod! I-I cannot do this!”</p><p>He screwed the paper up into a ball, then threw it and the pen in opposite directions.</p><p>“Ohh, I’m sorry Mr Kadabra…” Miss Catherine sighed, pulling him into a hug. “Let’s… find another way, eh? I’ll be back soon!”</p><p>“Hmph,” Higgle just grunted, staring at nothing in particular on the wall while Miss Catherine made a quiet exit. Meanwhile, a soft chittering;</p><p>“H-hey, who drew the funny looking sandwich Higgle?”</p><p>“…it is supposed to be a sock.” Higgle growled. Sandwich? That was even farther away from a sock than a fishing rod. Was he that unskilled at such a simple discipline? Outrageous.</p><p>Suddenly, realisation hit. “…Socks! You are awake?”</p><p>“Yeah…?” Socks yawned. “This little paper ball hit me on the head and it woke me up. Why? What’s wrong?”</p><p>She squinted at the crumpled sheet of paper. “Something tells me this is important, Higgle?”</p><p>“…Miss Catherine was asking-” Higgle began, however footfalls approached once again, and Catherine herself reappeared.</p><p>“Hello again, Mr Kadabra!” She beamed at him. “I’ve brought some poffins! Does anyone wa- hey, Furret’s awake!”</p><p>Edging the door open again, Catherine was carrying a tray stacked with a teapot of all things, as well as the mentioned poffins. She stepped out of her slippers and put the tray down on her nightstand.</p><p>“Hello there, Furret!” She smiled. “Are you feeling happy?”</p><p>“Does… New Person want something from me, Higgle?” Socks met Catherine’s stare.</p><p>“She wishes to know your name, Socks.” Higgle muttered darkly. “I-I have attempted, but all of my methods of communicating have proven fruitless.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Socks blinked at him. “…ooh!”</p><p>She sprang to her feet, and made sure to give Catherine a friendly nuzzle before dismounting the bed. “I love this game!”</p><p>Balancing on her hind feet, she raised one of her stubby little paws into the air.</p><p>“O-oh, I know this game!” Catherine gasped, sitting down on the bed. “…one word?”</p><p>Socks nodded happily, and cupped her paw behind one ear.</p><p>“S-sounds like?” Catherine asked, while a wide-eyed Higgle simply gawped at the pair of them. Mythos just gawped.</p><p>Socks nodded again, and began scurrying about the room. “Hmm… do you think you can help, Higgle?”</p><p>“What exactly are you looking for, Socks?” Higgle wobbled back to his feet.</p><p>“I need things that sound like my name!” Socks instructed, picking up a picture book and flicking through the pages. “B-but I don’t know what things are very well! And you do, Higgle! So you can help, right?”</p><p>“I… suppose I can try?” Higgle shrugged. Taking a less manic approach, he followed Socks’ example.</p><p>“It is unlikely that we will find rocks in here…” He muttered, a thoughtful hand stroking his chin. “Blocks would be convenient, but they do not seem present either…”</p><p>He caught a glimpse of Miss Catherine, sat on her bed with one leg hanging over the edge, occasionally sipping tea out of her Bellsprout mug. Her lips upturned in obvious amusement, she seemed happy enough to just watch Socks’ antics. An auspicious flash on her wrist caught Higgle’s attention, however.</p><p>“Wh-what is this?” He gasped, rushing up to her and consulting her wristwatch. “What a fantastic timepiece! Oh wow, it is so small, so <em>precise…</em>”</p><p>“Hmm?” Catherine smiled at him. “What’s up, Mr Kadabra? Do you like clocks?”</p><p>Higgle was mesmerised by the ticking, however his world was knocked sideways when Socks crashed into him. “Higgle, you did it!”</p><p>“Wha?!” Higgle gasped, snapped out of his hypnotic state by the Furret colliding into him. “What did I do?!”</p><p>“You found a thing Higgle!” Socks beamed at him, before returning her attention to Catherine. She made the motion for ‘sounds like’, and placed her ear on the girl’s watch.</p><p>“Huh? Did you want something?” Catherine was taken aback.</p><p>Socks smiled up at her warmly again, and repeated ‘sounds like’.</p><p>“Your name sounds like… clocks?” Catherine cottoned on at last, and got a vigorous nod from Socks in front of her.</p><p>“What words rhyme with clocks…?” She ran her finger along the rim of her teacup. “R-Rocks? Nooo, you don’t seem like a Rocks…”</p><p>“Box rhymes with clocks… knocks, locks…”</p><p>Socks waited patiently. There couldn’t be too many words that sounded like her name.</p><p>But then the New Person ran out of ideas.</p><p> “I’m sorry honey…” She sighed, stroking Socks’ head. “I-I can’t think of anything else?”</p><p>“So close…” Socks mumbled, her head hanging loosely against Catherine’s knee. “I… I really want New Person to know my name, Higgle.”</p><p>“It is alright, Socks.” Higgle gave her a reassuring stroke along the back. “We will fine some-”</p><p>“-Socks, look!”</p><p>“Hunh?” Socks frowned. “Did you find a thing,  Higgle?”</p><p>She looked where Higgle was pointing, and noticed.”Ohh, those things! Trainer wore them all the time to stop her feets from getting cold!”</p><p>Catherine watched the both of them getting excited over her feet of all things. “What’s wrong, guys? A-are my socks nice or something?”</p><p>But then the little Furret’s head practically snapped upright, and she beamed at the girl in front of her.</p><p>“Wait a minute…” Catherine mumbled. “Socks… that rhymes with clocks!”</p><p>She put her tea down at last. “I-is your name Socks, little Furret?”</p><p>“Yesss!” Socks leapt forward into the girl’s arms. “New Person knows my name, Higgle!”</p><p>“Y-yes Socks, she certainly did.” Higgle stammered. “Where on earth did you learn that communication method?”</p><p>“T-Trainer taught me…” A faint wistful note crept into Socks voice. “S-she made it into a game, so it was easy to learn, Higgle! But New Person knows this game too, so we can play it together!”</p><p>“That is fantastic news, Socks.” Higgle smiled. “I may have to request assistance from you for-”</p><p>Higgle’s sentence died where it stood when a sudden, window rattling gale blew in, swirling about the room and scattering papers from the desk.</p><p>“Oh no!” Catherine cried, scrambling from the bed to retrieve them. “Dear dear, the silly wind…”</p><p>Higgle helped, plucking sheets of paper from the floor. He slowly walked them back to her, scanning the sheets with curiosity.</p><p>“Hm?” Catherine slowly reached towards him. “Is something wrong, Mr Kadabra?”</p><p>“Such intricate words…” he muttered. “And so many, too!”</p><p>“You found lots of words, Higgle?” Socks chittered. “C-can I see?”</p><p>“You are no better at reading than I, Socks.” Higgle huffed. “Why would you want to look?”</p><p>“Because I think New Person can read lots better than you, Higgle.” Socks said. “Maybe you can let her read them for you?”</p><p>“…that is a fair point.” Higgle said. He held the papers out for her.</p><p>“D-did you like my little story, Mr Kadabra?” She giggled awkwardly. “Ohh, they’re all out of order…”</p><p>She started shuffling the papers, and caught sight of two Pokémon eyeballing her intently. “…yes?”</p><p>The pair of them kept looking back and forth between her and the papers in her hands. “Huh?” she nudged her glasses. “Did you… want to <em>hear </em>my story?”</p><p>The two Pokémon nodded fervently back at her.</p><p>“W-wow, really?!” Catherine gasped. Even Mum doesn’t wanna read my stories…”</p><p>There was more vibrant nodding in response. “W-well, I guess I can do that if you really want me to…!”</p><p>She gathered up her papers and resettled back on the bed. “C’mon everyone, let’s read a story!”</p><p>With a hand free to stroke Mythos the Slowpoke on her right, she had Higgle sat next to her on the left, and Socks across her shoulders.</p><p>She took in a nervous breath;</p><p>“It was a beautiful autumn day in Ecruteak City,” She said, her voice taking on a much softer tone. “Many people walked on the ancient stone paths, with the occasional street vendors negging at people to buy their products. The sun shone on the beautiful town lazily, with plenty of white puffy clouds floating in the sky…”</p><p>And Higgle was transported back into the past, dredging up ancient memories of the cobblestone paths Lady Holly once walked. Socks in her arms, him floating after her in tow. A happy sigh escaped him. Lady Holly was the past, but Miss Catherine was the future it seemed. And that was okay.</p><p>Another blustery wind pierced the building, and Catherine gripped her papers tighter. “Not this time, silly wind…”</p><p>She waited for a moment before settling back into her story, about a young girl and her Slowpoke making friends with the ghosts.</p><p>And while one story began, another story continued somewhere else. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. An Ice Surprise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once again, a bleary Emolga found herself waking up somewhere strange. A fierce brightness surged into her vision almost immediately.</p><p>“Ungh…” she groaned. “Am I dead?”</p><p>She raised an arm to shield her eyes for a bit. What was this place?</p><p>Her haze memory throbbed with pulsing machines, the clapping of shoes, and a whole lot of white. She remembered falling into some snow and that was freezing, too.</p><p>Maybe she really <em>was </em>dead. Her stomach didn’t feel empty any more, if that was any indication.</p><p>Her eyes had finally adjusted enough for her to lower her arm, and she squinted at the walls of… ice?</p><p>The walls, the floors and even the ceiling had that see through, wobbly look, yet somehow it wasn’t even cold. It was pretty, but also really confusing.</p><p>‘Why would someone want to live in ice?’ she mumbled inwardly. Further inspecting her surroundings, she discovered that she was resting on a huge pile of cushions, which maybe explained why she wasn’t cold inside this ice castle. Soft and squishy to the bounce, the sensation brought back echoes of the crate, and a tendril of fear crawled down Sparky’s back. Soft and squishy scarves were the reason she was in this mess… whatever this mess was. Speaking of scarves, she brought her hands to her chest and noticed the bright blue one draped around her.</p><p>“…huh.” She muttered, running her fingers through the gentle, fuzzy material. If she was dead, then how did she take this scarf with her? Surely that was against the rules or something.</p><p>The novelty of the scarf was forgotten when she finally noticed the huge bowl of berries, though. Piled high with assorted flavours, it was the most beautiful thing she’d seen in days. Screw the rules; even if she was dead, there were free berries.</p><p>Sparky practically bounded forward at the sight. Her poor body protested at the movement immediately, but that didn’t stop her sniffing merrily at the veritable mountain of berries.</p><p>Her stomach gurgled happily in response, when;</p><p>“Oh, finally! It’s about time you picked up!”</p><p>Something terrible clutched at her. Who was that? Why were they here? What were they going to do to her?!</p><p>Eyes dilating, Sparky dropped the armful of berries she was holding and dashed back into the pile of cushions.</p><p>“Who’s there?!” She squeaked.</p><p>“Don’t try to kid me with the ‘I was busy’ gag, buddy. I know you’ve got <em>plenty</em> of spare time right now!” The voice echoed towards her. “Anyway, I don’t care. You’ll never guess what Candice has found!”</p><p>Sparky quivered among the cushions. Who was Candice? Were they the human who brought her here? Whoever was talking sounded friendly enough, but they were still human and therefore not to be trusted!</p><p>A petrified shriek left Sparky as her hidey-hole was invaded by another face peering into it.</p><p>“Oh, you’re awake!” The Pokémon said, its cold blue eyes shining with surprising warmth. It stood on four legs and was many shades of blue, with three big squares of darker blue on its forehead that sort of looked like ice crystals.</p><p>“Wh-wh-who are you?!” Sparky cried, squashing herself farther still into her cushion fortress. “Where am I? What is this? Why?!”</p><p>All the while, the human voice in the background continued blithely. “Aw c’mon! You could at least guess <em>once</em>! Where’s the fun if ya don’t guess?”</p><p>From the corner of her spyhole in the cushion fortress, Sparky could finally put a face to the voice. Casually strolling into the room, with a phone practically glued to her right ears, a young woman – maybe as old as Miss Holly, maybe a bit younger – made her presence known. Her long black hair had been tempted into twin braids, with a stray curl of fringe draped over her coffee brown eyes.</p><p>“Ugh, you’re so <em>boring…</em> She groaned into her phone. She had a blue sweater wrapped around her waist, over a plain white dress shirt, with its sleeves rolled up to the elbows and a blue bow about her chest. The dark-haired young woman giggled into her phone; “Yes you are! You won’t even make one guess! Here’s a hint – it’s your specialty!”</p><p>“Who’s… that?” Sparky gulped from amidst her cushions.</p><p>“Oh, that’s Milady Candice!” The strange, light blue Pokémon explained softly. “You don’t need to be afraid of her! Milady is very nice and friendly! Look, she left you these tasty berries!”</p><p>The Pokémon backed out of Sparky’s hidey-hole and pointed to the bowl of berries.</p><p>“She… did?” Sparky asked slowly. An angry gurgle escaped her stomach and tempted her closer.</p><p>“Yes indeed!” The bluish Pokémon smiled. “Now you eat these tasty berries, and I shall fetch her for you!”</p><p>The bluish Pokémon meandered off to wards the young woman on the phone. Sparky slowly shuffled out of the cushion fort. Could she really believe all this? This woman was talking about herself in the third person. That wasn’t normal! And why would some random stranger be so nice to her! It had to be a trap or something!</p><p>“Fine, since you’re so <em>boring</em>, I’ll have to just tell you Volk.” This Candice rolled her eyes playfully. “I found an Emolga, okay? All the way out here in Snowpoint!”</p><p>Sparky was stopped cold.                                                                  </p><p>“…why is she talking about me?” She swallowed down her bulging mouthful of berries. Carefully, she retreated back into her cushions.</p><p>“Yeah, I figured I’d ask you seeing as you actually know somethin’ about Electric-types,” Candice chuckled into her phone. “Ayup! The poor thing was on the brink of death! It’s a good thing Candice was there to save the day, huh?”</p><p>Meanwhile her blue Pokémon was pawing at her. “Oh, hold on a sec, Glace wants something.”</p><p>She placed one hand over her phone and knelt down to consult her Pokémon. ‘Glace’ spun around and ‘pointed’ back towards the cushions.</p><p>“Oh, it’s awake?!”</p><p>Candice jammed her phone against her ear again. “I-it’s just woken up! I’ll talk to you later Volk!”</p><p>Following Glace’s lead, Candice ambled over towards the cushion pile. “In… in the hole?”</p><p>Glace mewled up at her and she bent down to get a closer look. “Oh, there you are!”</p><p>The little Emolga made a sharp noise back at her, shuffling deeper still into its hole.</p><p>“Aww, what’s wrong?” Her gaze softened. “Come on out, you silly thing! Candice isn’t gonna hurt you!”</p><p>Sparky didn’t move. Maybe if she stayed still long enough they’d all go away.</p><p>What kind of fool would trust a human just like that? If it wasn’t for humans, she’d still be at her old house, with Socks and Higgle and Miss Holly and-</p><p>“…Miss Holly.” She sniffled, her eyes prickling with tears.</p><p>Meanwhile Candice just sighed.</p><p>“You might have better luck than me, Glace.” She raised an eyebrow. She backed away a few feet and retrieved her phone again. “I’ll just keep my distance for now, huh?”</p><p>Candice slowly sauntered across the room with her phone against her ear, meanwhile Glace was squashed up against Sparky’s mound of cushions.</p><p>“Please come out?” It mumbled. “Milady is really nice, I promise!”</p><p>“B-but you’ll do nasty things to me if I come out!” Sparky dared to lock eyes with this obnoxious blue thing. “Like, you’re gonna sell me or something I just know it!”</p><p>“…c’mon dude, I know you’re there.” Candice groaned into her phone in the background. “Somethin’ important come up in the last ten minutes? I doubt it buddy.”</p><p>Meanwhile Glace just looked bemused. “Sell you? Why do you think that, friend?”</p><p>“Your human, she’s talking about me!” Sparky cried. “Why else would she be talking about me?!”</p><p>“Ohhhh…!” Glace chortled. “No, we do not wish to sell you, friend! Please, come out here and eat some tasty berries, and I shall explain everything!”</p><p>“Yeah, and the moment I do someone’s gonna jump out with a net and trap me?!” Sparky raged. “Nuh-uh! Not happening!”</p><p>“Please friend, calm down!” Sympathy was shining in Glace’s eyes. “If we were to capture and sell you, then why would we give you these comfy cushions?”</p><p>“…to trick me!” Sparky drummed up her excuse. “Like, you’ll be nice to me, try and make me trust you, and then WHAM, net!”</p><p>“Finally!” Candice gasped in the background. “Hah, was wondering how many rings it’d take! I guess Candice’s willpower finally won you over, huh Volk?!”</p><p>“Please friend,” Glace was laying low in front of her. “We don’t possess any nets, I promise! Milady is only talking about you because she is confused!”</p><p>“Confused?” Sparky frowned. “B-but humans are smart! Why would she be confused about me?”</p><p>“…yeah, it’s like you said Volk. It doesn’t trust me.” Candice sighed in the background.</p><p>“Milady gets confused a lot.” Glace just smiled. “And she talks to people on her thingy whenever she gets confused, and she’s confused about you because you are not an Ice Pokémon like me!”</p><p>“…so she’s just asking for help?” Sparky shuffled forward a little. “That does kinda make sense. But what if-”</p><p>“Yeah, that’s why I’ve been asking you Volk.” Candice was now lying on her front with her feet in the air. “It doesn’t trust me, so I figured I’d ask you for help ‘cause you know how they work…”</p><p>“Eek!”</p><p>Once again, Sparky dashed back into her pile of cushions. “Y-you heard that, right? She’s gonna make me work! L-like some kinda torture or something!”</p><p>Glace rolled over and sighed. “Please don’t be silly. Milady does not wish to hurt you, understand?”</p><p>“B-but then why does she wanna make me work?!” Sparky squeaked back. “I-I can’t work! I’m too little, and I wouldn’t be any good! Don’t they have humans for that sorta thing anyway?!”</p><p>Meanwhile Candice kept nodding into her phone. “Uh huh? So they like places where they can get a lot of exercise, and high energy food? Makes sense.”</p><p>“See, do you hear that?” Glace said softly. “Milady is just trying to learn what will make you happy, that’s all!”</p><p>“That’s all?” Sparky said. “A-and you’re absolutely super sure?”</p><p>Glace just nodded.</p><p>“…I’m sorry.” Sparky sighed. “I’ve just had a lotta bad days lately.”</p><p>“Do you wish to come out and talk about it?” Glace asked, its voice soft and friendly. “Milady really is nice, I promise?”</p><p>“…okay.” Sparky mumbled, climbing out of the cushions. “Where do I start…?”</p><hr/><p> </p><p>“S-so yeah, af’fa we… loss, Miss Horry,” Sparky sniffled, her mouth bulging with berries. She swallowed, “W-we were a little confused on what to do at first because… it’s your trainer’s job to keep you safe, y’know? But Higgle, he was really smart, and found a way so we could grow our own food, and everything was starting to look up! B-but then some evil humans took us away in a big metal thing, and then we were dumped in some kinda prison!”</p><p>“Oh noooo!” Glace was flat on the floor, quivering. “H-how on earth did you get out of that?”</p><p>“You remember my friend Socks?” Sparky rolled an Oran Berry between her paws. She managed to squeeze through the bars, hide from the watching boxes and steal their keys! All without getting caught!”</p><p>“That is amazing!” Glace cried.</p><p>“Uh huh! A-and then Higgle put together this huge escape plan in like, moments! A-and then all we had to do was…”</p><p>The energy in Sparky’s voice evaporated. The atmosphere thickened like soup, and suddenly the little Emolga was on the verge of tears again.</p><p>“A-all we had to do was stick together,” she sniffled. “And I didn’t. I ran on ahead…”</p><p>“Oh…” Glace mumbled. “But, but… that wasn’t your fault, was it? It was the nasty prison people, surely?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Sparky said. “All I know is, I went ahead, and now we’re separated. Probably forever…”</p><p>Glace just sat there, quiet, as Sparky was reduced to sobbing in the cushions. Ideas of what to say bubbled, but ebbed and faded away before it could put words to them. What did you say to something like that, after all? Cheer up? That wasn’t going to work…</p><p>Glace frowned. There must’ve been something that would-</p><p>“Hey you two!” Candice yelled, bursting in from nowhere. “Are you guys great friends now?!”</p><p>Glace’s eyes shone at the sight of her, but Sparky the Emolga wasn’t looking so enthusiastic, glancing up at her with eyes full of sadness.</p><p>“Aw, not so hot huh?” She deflated. “Well you’re in luck,” she knelt down to look the Emolga in the eye. “Because Candice has a friend coming to see you soon, and he’ll be able to take great care of you, okay?!”</p><p>Sparky looked over to Glace, who nodded happily, and then back to Candice.</p><p>“Can I… can I hold you?” The young woman asked slowly, keeping her eye contact.</p><p>Sparky gulped, and toddled forwards with her arms stretched out.</p><p>“Please be nice, please be nice, please be niiice…” She muttered under her breath, before two enormous hands enclosed around her waist, and suddenly everything was terrifying!</p><p>“Eyagh!” Sparky shrieked, loosing massive bolts of static electricity.</p><p>“<em>Oh </em>crud!” Candice yelped, wincing from the pain and pulling the Emolga to her chest. “It’s okay, it’s okay! Don’t worry!”</p><p>Bursts of electricity continued to flare across Sparky’s tiny body, but the young woman kept her grip regardless.</p><p>“Y-you can do it.” She winced.</p><p>Glace crept closer, but Candice kept it at an arm’s distance. “It’s fine Glace, honest!”</p><p>“Uuugh!” Sparky whimpered, furious sparks of electricity arcing through the room. Candice’s arms wrapped around her tighter.</p><p>“It’s okay, little one. J-just calm your beans…”</p><p>Sparky flailed against her chest, her errant bolts of electricity slowly dying down. Her panic finally ebbing because of a familiar noise;</p><p>
  <em>‘thump-thump-thump-thump-thump’</em>
</p><p>The soft, steady thumping of a heartbeat. The warmth of the embrace and the safety of a heartbeat… it was familiar. It was nice.</p><p>Her static dissolved away, and the little Emolga just sat there, listening to the soft, natural rhythm of life.</p><p>“Thank you…” She mumbled quietly.</p><p>“Oh, good job!” Candice gasped, her hair on end and her clothes singed. “You did so well!”</p><p>She shook her hair back into place and carefully carried the little Emolga away. “Let’s go make you some more friends…”</p><p>For the first time in days, Sparky found herself smiling. What the future held wasn’t clear, but right now things were… steady. And she was okay with that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Soul Survivor</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“H-here you go…” Candice carefully knelt down, and let Sparky jump from her arms onto a bright purple beanbag. “Candice needs to set some stuff up, so maybe you’d like some more company?”</p><p>Sparky glanced up at her and frowned, then slowly looked back to the ‘company’, and then back to her. She’d been carried over to what looked like a play area of sorts, with lots of brightly coloured plastic things squirming about the room, and a giant inflatable kiddie pool in the middle, but full of snow instead of water. Which made sense for the company in question. Despite what could’ve passed for a friendly glance on one of them, there was something about this group of icy looking strangers that left her feeling completely vulnerable.</p><p>“They’re super nice, I swear!” She cried. “Glace, can you take it from here?”</p><p>Glace mewled up at her appreciatively, and next thing Sparky knew, she had disappeared around the corner with her phone in her hand again.</p><p>“…huh,” Sparky narrowed her eyes. “Is she always this excited?”</p><p>“Milady is busy today, on account of your arrival!” Glace said, its ears twitching. “She wants you to meet the rest of the gang, so I’ll introduce you, friend!”</p><p>Sparky cast an eye over the four new ‘friends’ she was supposed to be making. Something told her a casual introduction wasn’t going to cut it. She was probably the reason they were cooped up in here. The biggest one – a huge, shaggy monster – looked like it barely fit in the room, so it seemed especially inconvenient for the poor thing.</p><p>“Hello, gang!” Glace suddenly announced. “This little one here is Sparky! She is from far away, and has been very unlucky! Milady found her outside in the snow, so she will be here until a <em>friend</em> arrives for her!”</p><p>The fanfare withered, leaving the atmosphere heavier than before. Sparky sunk down into the beanbag. That couldn’t have gone worse, really.</p><p>“No need to be afraid, friend. All of Milady’s Pokémon are very nice, and they will surely treat you well!”</p><p>“…speak for yourself.” The dark-coloured one said. Flexing enormous arm claws, it looked away pointedly. “Why should we befriend this outsider?”</p><p>“Because your trainer wishes it, Eve.” The floating statue quipped. “This poor Pokémon has suffered a lot lately, and could do with a friendly face.”</p><p>“Don’t need me here for that,” ‘Eve’ replied venomously. “Lemme know when you’re all done babysitting, ‘kay Mo?”</p><p>“Aye, will dae!” The giant, shaggy beast grunted. It threw its four feet outwards, falling to the ground with an immense thud. “Sorry Ros! I-I was pure answerin’ Eve’s question, honest!”</p><p>“We are not <em>babysitting, </em>Mo.” ‘Ros’ said shortly, narrowing its eyes at the huge mass. “This poor child has seen terrible things; things no Pokémon should. You should her some respect!”</p><p>“I was gonnae!” Mo snorted back at her. Sudden its burly, nasal voice took on a much lighter, friendlier tone. “Sorry there wee yin! I’m Mo, a Mamoswine, as ye can prob’ly guess. And yersel?”</p><p>This ‘Mo’ knelt down as low as it could, obviously trying to make eye contact with Sparky. Still buried in the beanbag, she craned her neck upwards to match his efforts, but despite the friendly warmth emanating from the beast, she couldn’t bring herself to speak. Miss Holly always said she shouldn’t ignore others, but the words were simply failing her. What could she possibly have in common with these guys?</p><p>What did the big one even say? She could’ve sworn it <em>sounded </em>like English, but if it was being said on a radio that wasn’t tuned in very well, maybe?</p><p>Mo blinked a few times, before slowly glancing over to Glace. “Does she no talk much, Glace?”</p><p>Glace frowned, then looked back to Sparky, and then up at Mo again. Sparky could practically see the cogs whirring inside his head.</p><p>“Hm?” Glace muttered. “…ohh! Yes, right! Sparky, I shall introduce you to everyone!”</p><p>Ros rolled her eyes while Mo got flatter still. The green and white snowman kept sleeping.</p><p>“Okay… you’ve talked to Mo already,” Glace said. Mo ‘smiled’ down at her, his eyes curving upwards cheerfully.</p><p>“Ros is a Froslass, and she is scary!”</p><p>Ros’ eyes narrowed at him.</p><p>“Eve is the one who walked out earlier. She is a Weavile!”</p><p>Something around the corner rattled, and Ros just huffed at it.</p><p>“And the big green guy over there is an Abomasnow,” Glace pointed to the snowman. “He likes to sleep. Hey Phil, wake up!”</p><p>The snowman continued to snooze loudly, its little ice moustache fluttering outwards with every exhale.</p><p>“Hey Phil! Time to wake up!” Glace raised his voice. Phil whimpered for a moment, but quickly dissolved back into a deep sleep.</p><p>“We often have trouble waking Phil.” Ros said, revolving on the spot to face the giant yeti. “So it may time some time for the pair of you to get acquain-”</p><p>“Wake up, ye great puddin’!” Mo shunted his entire body into the icy beast.</p><p>“Hngh!” Phil spluttered, stretching his long thorny arms and yawning hugely. “Whassup everyone? What’d I miss?”</p><p>Phil scratched his back and smacked his lips loudly. “Quite a whack ya gave me there, Mo. Was I snoring ag- whoa!”</p><p>The yeti jumped back and threw an arm in Sparky’s direction. “There’s a weird yellow thing! How’d it get in?!”</p><p>“Phil!” Ros cast him a frigid glare. “That weird yellow thing is a Pokémon! One with a heavy burden! Show a little respect, if you would!”</p><p>“But… but!” Phil stammered. “But it’s an Electric-type! Why’s it <em>here</em>?!”</p><p>“Milady brought her here, Phil!” Glace explained calmly. “And if Milady can trust her, I am certain we can! Don’t you think?”</p><p>“…alright.” Phil slowly lowered his accusing hand. “Sorry there, kid. Can’t be too careful.”</p><p>“I-it’s… it’s okay.” Sparky managed a smile. She and Glace had talked at least, but the five of them were a bit of a circus. A half a conversation with one strange Pokémon was a drop in the water compared to this. Most of them seemed friendly at least, though Ros and Eve were another story. Ros showed no expression ever, and she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to know what Eve thought of her.</p><p>“Everyone is nice here, friend! Don’t worry!” Glace smiled at her.</p><p>“It’ll be grand, lass, nae bother.” Mo chuckled. “Eve’ll warm up te ye soon, I promise. As fer Ros, she’s just no’ very-”</p><p>Ros span around in an instant and fixed Mo with another death stare.</p><p>“<em>Nice</em>. I’m just not very <em>nice.” </em>She quipped.</p><p>“Aw c’mon Ros, ah wasnae gonnae say that!” Mo’s voice was reduced to a squeak.</p><p>“Mo just said the wrong thing, don’t worry Ros!” Phil waved his enormous arms at her.</p><p>“It’s just that we can never tell what you’re thinking!” Glace chimed in. “He knows that you’re nice, really!”</p><p>“Aye, I was gonnae say ‘talkative’!” Mo scrambled. “Sometimes ye can be really nice!”</p><p>Ros stopped in her tracks, sighing visibly. “What about you, child?” She revolved to face Sparky. “Do you think that I’m <em>nice</em>?”</p><p>Sparky swallowed her golf ball. Why was the most terrifying one of them all asking her such a leading question? They’d only met a few minutes ago!</p><p>All of the other three were standing behind Ros, throwing various limbs about as some sort of signal. Sparky’s gaze drifted between the expectant Froslass and the three of them. Exactly what was she supposed to do here?</p><p>Ros thrust a hand behind her, petrifying the trio instantly. “Don’t try to influence her, you three.”</p><p>She tapped fingers together slowly, and Phil fell over with a strained grunt. Sparky stared into those cold, merciless depths. Honesty was going to have to be the best approach, wasn’t it?</p><p>She took in a heavy breath, and felt it shiver out of her.</p><p>“I um,” she hesitated. “I think that you’re a good leader?”</p><p>Ros’ crystalline eyebrow arched. “Explain.”</p><p>“W-well, I’ve seen you giving out the orders here,” Sparky trembled. “A-and they obey you without question. I don’t think you try to scare them into obeying either, because that’s just mean, and you don’t <em>look </em>mean?”</p><p>Ros huffed, “A brave choice of wording.”</p><p>Meanwhile Glace’s jaw dropped.</p><p>“I-I… I figured there wasn’t any point in lying,” Sparky stammered. “After all, you’re the leader, and that means you’ve gotta make all the… tough decisions. Because it’s the right thing to do…”</p><p>Realisation suddenly hit. That was what Higgle was always having to do. Make the tough decisions so she and Socks wouldn't suffer for them. Ones she was always arguing against because she didn't know any better...</p><p>A soft, rattling chuckle escaped Ros’ depths, and for a moment there was even a flicker that Sparky could’ve sworn was a smile. “…a good answer, child. I can see that your loved one trained you well.”</p><p>Phil, Glace and Mo followed up with a crescendo of gasps, which echoed down the hallway.</p><p>“L-loved one?!” Sparky gasped, her face aghast. “Wha, who, h-how?!”</p><p>“Panic not, child.” Ros explained softly. “I merely sensed it. Your soul has suffered a great loss of late, correct? You adored her, yes?”</p><p>Hot, furious tears stung. Sparky let out a loud, snivelling sob. “B-but how can you know that?! I’m really really far away from home now, and she can’t be here because she’s in the sky right now, a-and-”</p><p>Ros placed a frigid, yet soothing hand on her shoulder. “Calm yourself, please. I shall explain everything.”</p><p>Suddenly everything Sparky knew was turned upside down. Miss Holly was definitely dead – she saw it with her own eyes – but this Ros knew things about her. Things that were impossible to know without them having met. Sparky definitely didn’t recognise her. Had Miss Holly been here, wherever this was? That didn’t seem likely either.</p><p>Ros beckoned to Sparky, and floated off down a hallway. She must’ve known something <em>very</em> special, not wanting to tell her in front of the others like that. Either that or she was secretly really nasty, but if that was the case, there was no way she could <em>guess </em>intimate details about Miss Holly, was there?</p><p>Unless ghosts could read minds, she shrugged to herself.</p><p>“Yes we can.” Ros said. “Especially one as troubled as yours, child. Be assured that I bear you no ill will, however.”</p><hr/><p>Sparky toddled after Ros down several hallways, passing enormous windows showing nothing but endless snowscapes. She really was in the middle of nowhere. The iron skies melting into the pure white snow on the ground, with the occasional peppering of a tree or a rock. It sure made for a lonely sight…</p><p>The pair of them passed by Eve the Weavile on their way down yet another hallway. Leaning casually against the wall with her arms folded, Eve narrowed her eyes at Sparky and flexed the long claws on the end of her paws.</p><p>“Oh, are we losing the outside Ros?” Eve smiled sharply. “It’s about time. Up for a snowball fight outside once we’re rid of her?”</p><p>“Not now, Eve.” Ros said curtly. “I have to show this child something.”</p><p>“…fine.” Even kicked off of the wall. “I’ll go ask Phil.”</p><p>“Please don’t mind her,” Ros said, as the pair of them watched Eve skulk away into a different room. “She may seem unfriendly, but she won’t displease Mistress Candice.”</p><p>“B-but she seems so… nasty,” Sparky shivered as a door slammed in the background.</p><p>“It is in her nature,” Ros glanced out to the scenery. “Mistress Candice found her in conditions not unlike your own, many years ago. Her trust is hard to gain, however there is no one more loyal.”</p><p>A gentle smile etched into Ros’ features. “Ahh, perfect timing. Here child, look at this.”</p><p>Sparky scrabbled onto the windowsill with a well-aimed jump, “W-what is it?”</p><p>“Eve <em>can </em>be nice sometimes.” Ros pointed to a dark figure outside. Barely visible as she sprinted across the snowy plains outside, Sparky got the occasional glimpse of the Weavile as she carved her way through thick snow as if it were nothing. Lumbering after her was Phil the Abomasnow, already getting pelted by a multitude of snowballs. Phil scraped up a wall of snow to block some of them before shovelling together an enormous boulder for his counter-attack. Eve timed it well however, and smacked Phil right between the eyes with a carefully aimed snowball, causing him to drop his own boulder.</p><p>Eve stopped to point and laugh at Phil when Mo charged out of nowhere, carrying a plume of snow in his tusks. Mo threw the mass at Eve, burying her.</p><p>Sparky’s face was practically glued to the window. Was this the difference a bit of trust made? From cold and unwelcoming to an all-out snowball fight? The stark contrast was hard to believe.</p><p>“Any heart can shine with enough patience and effort,” Ros said, watching Phil barrel roll into Mo. The both of them tumbled into the huge mound of snow, and Eve popped out of the other side before bursting into a fit of laughter.</p><p>“Y-yeah…” Sparky found herself agreeing. “Wh-what was it… you wanted to show me?”</p><p>“I am showing you.” Ros deadpanned, not breaking her glance.</p><p>“…the snowball fight?” Sparky frowned up at her.</p><p>“No,” Ros shook her head slowly. She pointed past the frenzy and instead towards the skyline, “this is how I know about your trainer.”</p><p>Squinting, Sparky followed Ros’ hand, but there was nothing there? Squinting harder still, she scarcely made out the pebble grey silhouette against the iron grey skies. Miss Holly told her what those spiky objects in the distance were.</p><p>“…Mountains?” She asked. “H-how do mountains-”</p><p>“That is what you call them?” Ros’ frowned. “How interesting. Well, in that case, it is only one of those ‘mountains’ that is important. I know it as ‘The Path of Souls’.”</p><p>“Path of Souls?” Sparky’s eyes widened. That made sense, because ghosts could sense souls or something.</p><p>Then the lightbulb flickered. “W-wait, does that mean-”</p><p>“Yes, it does.” Ros answered simply. “I sensed your trainer’s soul there.”</p><p>“W-why? How?!” Sparky gasped. Her mind flooded with infinite questions, each harder to answer than the last.</p><p>“Souls do not immediately return to the planet,” Ros explained slowly. “Before they can do that, they must find a fate. And it appears as though your trainer has found hers.”</p><p>“S-so… Miss Holly’s there, right now?!” Sparky’s voice squeaked up a notch.</p><p>“In a sense, yes.” Ros’ grimace deepened. “However I would <em>not </em>advise going!”</p><p>“B-but… if she’s there?!” Sparky cried, tears prickling in her eyes. “Then maybe I can-”</p><p>“You cannot,” Ros deadpanned. “Your trainer may be there, but not in a human state. Do you understand?”</p><p>“But what if?!” Sparky cried.</p><p>“But nothing,” Ros shot her down. “Look at me, child. You cannot attempt to save your trainer, do you understand? This should have become apparent when you first found her. There are no ‘what if’s, no buts, no chance. Do you hear me?”</p><p>A snowball crashed into the window, obscuring Sparky’s view of the mountains.</p><p>“Please try to understand, child.” Ros sighed. “Whatever reasons you may think you have, you cannot just disrupt the fragile equilibrium between life and death simply because you aren’t happy.”</p><p>“But I-”</p><p>“Don’t.” Ros’ eyes flared.</p><p>“But I might find out <em>why</em>!” Sparky wailed, bursting into floods of tears. “She just… just <em>left </em>us one day, and I never knew why! What if there was something I could’ve done?! Maybe I could’ve helped her to not die or something! I’m never gonna know, and that hurts worse than anything else!”</p><p>“…listen, child.” Ros’ voice softened. “I can understand your frustration. As a Ghost-type, I have witnessed more heartache than you can imagine. But there is nothing for you there, understand? Your trainer is merely a soul, waiting to be reassigned. Even if you <em>could</em> get there, how would you make contact? What would you be willing to sacrifice?”</p><p>“Why tell me these things if they make no difference?” Sparky sobbed, her face buried in her arms. “I-I’d accepted that Miss Holly was gone, but… but now she’s back?! But only sorta?! And I can’t do anything about it?! How can I just ignore that?!”</p><p>“She is not ‘back’, child. She is a soul; a mere existence; a <em>memory. </em>Even if you were to make it to the Path of Souls, there would be nothing for you there. Do you hear me?”</p><p>Sparky cast a wobbly glance back outside. The snowball fight had finally come to a stop, it seemed. Both Mo and Phil had gone back inside, with only Eve remaining, perched up against a rock with her arms folded.</p><p>“S-so there’s no chance?” Sparky sniffled, peering through the seething snowfall.</p><p>“Absolutely no chance.” Ros said. “I am sorry, child. I didn’t wish to upset you like this. I just thought you should know the truth.”</p><p>“It’s okay,” Sparky mumbled, coiling into a little ball. “I did ask, after all…”</p><p>“I… I wish for you to find happiness, child.” Ros started floating back down the hallway. “Please don’t waste precious life…”</p><p>Tears quietly streamed down Sparky’s face as she stared silently at the mountain range in the distance.</p><p>Were the answers really there? Ros said no, repeatedly, but what if they were? If it was the Path of Souls, surely there was someone in charge of it all? Maybe they would know why?</p><p>But she was just one little Emolga, and that was a really big mountain. How was she even going to get there? There was a blizzard going on. It was as if life itself was telling her no.</p><p>Maybe this friend of Candice’s was a better idea. He apparently knew a lot about Electric types, and that would’ve meant some stability in life… maybe? But what if he didn’t like her? Or what if his Pokémon didn’t like her? And getting uprooted and moved somewhere else, <em>again</em>? That didn’t sound fun at all.</p><p>Staying here didn’t sound like a good plan either, because Candice was ready to pawn her off to someone else as soon as she arrived. So even if she did like Mo and the others, it was just going to be another life torn away from her before she could even sink her teeth in…</p><p>Sparky’s head thudded against the window. All she had was questions. No answers of any sort.</p><p>What was she supposed to do now? Miss Holly was up at the top of that mountain, even if she was only a memory, as Ros said.</p><p>Sparky’s mind whirred; <em>memory.</em></p><p>Ros must’ve used that word for a reason, right? Maybe that Path of Souls ran on memories?</p><p>Sparky tumbled down from the windowsill. She had <em>tons </em>of memories of Miss Holly. What if she could use those somehow?</p><p>It was a long shot at best, but what were her other options? Sit around here for a few hours, maybe a day, until some other stranger took her in?</p><p>And then what? Just sit there instead, feeling out of place and even more lost?</p><p>Security was nice, but where was the belonging?</p><p>What if she could bring that back?</p><hr/><p>Her mind was made. She knew what she had to do.</p><p>Ambling down the long corridors, she searched for a door. Eve’s location was a good enough guide, and she was able to keep enough distance without anyone finding her and asking awkward questions.</p><p>Finally, a door was sourced. Scrambling back up onto another windowsill and jumping, she weighed the door handle enough for the wind to do the rest of the work, blowing it open and knocking her down again.</p><p>Icy cold strangled her extremities the moment a toe touched the snow. Sparky took in the deepest breath she could, and coiled the scarf around her again. Her teeth were already chattering, but there was no turning back now.</p><p>“Wouldn’t if I were you.” Eve said coolly as Sparky trudged a few inches farther forward. “Going out in this would be suicide, kid.”</p><p>“P-p-p-put yourself in my position.” Sparky shivered. “I-if you had a chance to save your… t-t-trainer, how far would you go?”</p><p>“To the ends of the earth, of course,” Eve huffed. “But it’d be a huge waste to die trying.”</p><p>“But what if I don’t go… w-what am I gonna do?” Sparky gasped, the sharp winds biting at her. “What’s a Pokémon without their trainer?”</p><p>“You can get another trainer.” Eve scowled. “Getting another life won’t be so easy.”</p><p>“They c-can take it!” Sparky inched her way through the snow. “I-if there’s a price, I’ll pay it!”</p><p>“Ros been feeding you stories again, huh?” Eve shook her head slowly. “L-look, kid, if you’re gonna go, at least take this.”</p><p>Sparky jumped and gasped as something fuzzy and red swallowed her vision. She flailed to lift a beanie hat from her head, “…huh?”</p><p>“Let the record show I tried to stop you,” Eve’s cheek dimpled. She glanced away, as if biting something down, before clearing her throat. “…trees make good wind breaks.”</p><p>“Th-thanks,” Sparky chittered. “S-s-say sorry to everyone for me.”</p><p>And Eve’s eyes slowly got wider as she watched the little blob of red and blue slowly disappear into the snowdrift.</p><p>“They say suicide is painless,” Eve muttered, “But that was the most painful thing I’ve ever seen.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Stitches</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A flash of red slowly trudged through the snow.</p>
<p>Shivering viciously and buried up to her chest, Sparky had her scarf coiled as tightly around her as many times as possible. She pushed headlong into the biting winds and endless white, aiming for the palest silhouette on the horizon.</p>
<p>The feeling in her lower half had dulled ages ago. She wasn’t sure if the only thing keeping her moving forwards was stubbornness at this point. There was no guarantee she would get there, even find this Path of Souls, or if it was even possible. All she had at her disposal was memories, and the blind hope that the mountaintop would provide her with answers.</p>
<p>Sharp blades of snow chiselled their way into her skin, slicing away at her waning stamina. Her eyes were barely slits, keeping out most of the pain. Every moment she let her mind wander even slightly, her vision started fading, and the threat of passing out crept in. Stopping for a breather wasn’t an option. If she stopped, she knew she wasn’t going to get started again.</p>
<p>She was a pitiful sight, creeping forwards at a desperate pace. Tiptoeing carefully to avoid the deeper snow trenches. There was no getting out of one of those. Some of them were several metres wide, meaning a huge detour sidetracking around each and every one of them. And if she turned any direction except headlong into the wind, the gusts just pushed her back…</p>
<p>“C-c-c’mon!” She muttered to no one, wrenching her numb body forwards. “Nearly… there!”</p>
<p>The mountains in the distance were barely any closer. But they had to be, because she was heading towards them. Eventually, she was going to have to make it there.</p>
<p>Every crunching footstep felt like she was dragging a bag of rocks. The furious winds were about to burst her eardrums. There was no shelter, not even a stray tree. Frozen blades continued to grate her poor exhausted body, weathering away what was left of her vitality. Her spirit was strong, but there was only so much a tiny, starving Emolga could take.</p>
<p>And then it took her.</p>
<p>Without so much as a warning, her legs gave out on her, and she collapsed face first into the freezing snow. A pitiful squeak escaped her, but her tiny body was simply spent.</p>
<p>The winds and snow continued to bluster on, slowly burying the little Emolga where she lay.</p>
<hr/>
<p>There was a sharp whoosh as something carved through the snow like butter.  Darting between rocks and trees as if the howling blizzard were nothing, it shaved a clean line through the powder on the look for something.</p>
<p>Without much more than a snide chuckle, the creature stumbled across the peppered outline of a bright red beanie hat.</p>
<p>“What the…?” They said, kneeling down and plucking the hat from the ground, only to find an unconscious Emolga underneath it.</p>
<p>The dark figure gasped and raised two hands to their mouth, before letting loose a shrill whistle.</p>
<p>
  <em>*feeeeeep!*</em>
</p>
<p>“Found her!”</p>
<p>Eve the Weavile folded her arms and smirked, as a distant rumbling descended upon the route. Eve knelt down and placed the back of her hand against Sparky’s face, and her smirk dropped.</p>
<p>The kid was barely holding on.</p>
<p>“Hurry Mo! She’s cold, dammit!”</p>
<p>“Am comin’, Eve!” Mo sent plumes of snow billowing out in his charge, before shuffling to a massive halt. “Good job findin’ her, lass!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, well she’s a popsicle, so save your praise til she’s warmed up.” Eve muttered.</p>
<p>“Ohh, so that’s where yer wee hat went!” Mo guffawed. “Ah was wond’rin’!”</p>
<p>“Mo, the kid’s freezing,” Eve deadpanned. “Pick her up already!”</p>
<p>“…oh, right!” Mo stammered, carefully scooping her up in his tusks. “Think ye can help? Ah cannae.”</p>
<p>“Don’t look at me, I’ve got claws for hands.” Even shrugged. “You want her shish-kebabbed? Sure, I can do that. But you’ll need someone else if-”</p>
<p>“No yersel, Eve…” Mo chuckled nasally. “I was asking Glace!”</p>
<p>As he spoke, the Glaceon burst from within his fur. “Of course, Mo! I’m rather good at keeping things warm!”</p>
<p>“….huh.” Eve narrowed her eyes. “And <em>why</em> did you bring Glace along?”</p>
<p>Mo’s face dropped as the Glaceon smoothly jumped down from his back.</p>
<p>“Thought I would?”</p>
<p>“You’re kidding.” Eve groaned. “I only brought you along in case I needed some muscle. What’s Ros gonna say when she’s left with just Phil for the next-”</p>
<p>“Aye, am kiddin’,” Mo chuckled, and Eve practically burst a vein. “I just figured Sparky needed a friendly face, a’right? Glace knows her best, so I thought-”</p>
<p>“No, you didn’t.” Eve shot him down instantly. “Glace doesn’t have an off switch. Now the <em>entire </em>trip’s gonna be endless talking. Are you happy with yourself?”</p>
<p>“Says the lass who didnae ken he was here.” Mo waggled a pair of bushy eyebrows. Meanwhile Glace had secured an unconscious Sparky by the scruff of the neck, and was climbing back up onto Mo's back, settling into the shaggy fur.</p>
<p>“…fine,” Eve deadpanned. “But if Glace asks <em>one</em> dumb question, I’m goin’ home and leaving you guys behind, got it?”</p>
<p>“Don’t you worry, Eve!” Glace called from amidst Mo’s fur. “I will concentrate on keeping our friend Sparky warm! You won’t even know I am here!”</p>
<p>“She’s your friend, not mine.” Eve huffed.</p>
<p>“But ye gave her yer lucky hat?” Mo smirked.</p>
<p>“Al-<em>right</em>, I get it! Can we go now?!” Eve cried.</p>
<p>“…right y’are, lass.” Mo said. “But err… where we goin’? We takin’ her back te Lassie?”</p>
<p>“Well…” Eve bit her lip. “Kid said she wanted to go to the Path of Souls, right? So who’s up for taking her there? Solves both problems at once.”</p>
<p>“B-but Ros said!”</p>
<p>“Ros said go <em>save</em> her.” Eve interrupted. “She didn’t specify what we had to do afterwards. She ain’t here, and she sent me, not you, not Glace. So I’m in charge, got it?”</p>
<p>“…got it.” Mo nodded.</p>
<p>With Glace keeping the tiny Emolga warm on Mo’s back as he travelled, and Eve flitting past alongside them, darting about as she pleased, the little group headed towards the towering peaks in the distance.</p>
<p>“Stupid kid…” Eve muttered to herself. Why did the kid want to come all the way out here on her own anyway? There was nothing there, unless she knew something they didn’t. Even if there was, heading out on her own in a blizzard was just dumb.</p>
<p>Though none of them were about to offer her any help, she had to concede. Ros basically told the kid to run off, yet was <em>oh so shocked</em> when she actually did. It was kinda shameful, to be honest.</p>
<p>She slowed to a halt, watching Mo billowing after her. “She’s got guts. Can’t deny that.”</p>
<p>“Hunh?!” Mo bellowed. “What’d ye say, Eve? Didnae catch that!”</p>
<p>“I-I wanna tear someone’s guts out!” Eve flustered. “But don’t you worry about that! Just focus on keepin’ up, dammit!”</p>
<p>“Gotcha!” Mo trumpeted, stamping down the snowy pathways after her. “How’s the wee lass daein, Glace?”</p>
<p>“Nothing yet, Mo!” Glace called back, snuggling up against the ice-cold Emolga. “She really is very cold!”</p>
<p>Eve swore. How long were they going to have to wait for the kid to wake up? A few minutes? A few hours? Maybe even longer?</p>
<p>They didn’t have that long. Ros was already going to kill them when they got back for skipping out on her…</p>
<p>Eve scratched to a halt. “…wanna take a breather?”</p>
<p>“What?!” Mo yelled. “Cannae hear ye lass!”</p>
<p>“I said did you wanna take a break!” Eve yelled even louder.</p>
<p>Mo scrabbled and crashed to the floor at Eve’s feet. “…aye, nae bother!”</p>
<p>“Great,” Eve rubbed her paws together. “I’ll source some firewood, you guys find shelter.”</p>
<p>Eve zipped off into the blizzard once again, leaving Mo and Glace in her dust.</p>
<p>“D’ye… think she actually cares about the wee lass?” Mo raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Oh, of course she does!” Glace said. “Why else would she ask us to come with her?”</p>
<p>“Hmm…” Mo murmured. “Aye, ye could be right…”</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>Meanwhile…</em>
</p>
<p>“Phil!” Ros demanded, staring down the colossal Abomasnow. “Where are the others? Lady Candice has a challenger!”</p>
<p>“Umm…” Phil’s eyes were wide. He slowly looked left, and then right, before squaring his gaze with Ros again. “…I dunno! They must be out having a snowball fight or something!”</p>
<p>“Oh really?” Ros’ expression hollowed. “Care to explain how Glace is playing? He can’t throw snowballs.”</p>
<p>“…referee!” Phil stammered. “I-it’s a one on one, and they called Glace out there to keep things fair!”</p>
<p>“And yet you’re in here all on your own?” Ros narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you <em>love </em>snowball fights?”</p>
<p>“I-I do, but…” Phil groaned. “But I have a bad leg, see?!”</p>
<p>He pointed vaguely at one of his legs. Ros’ face just darkened further.</p>
<p>“I’m disappointed in you, Phil.” She shook her head slowly. Summoning up dark blue flames, a glint shone in the Froslass’ eyes as she launched it at Phil. The yeti let out a high-pitched yelp and ran around in pain as blue flames licked at his hide.</p>
<p>“Perhaps this will teach you not to lie to me.” She huffed. “Why didn’t you just tell me that they’d left to go save the Emolga?”</p>
<p>“I-I didn’t wanna concern you…” Phil grunted. “Sorry Ros. I guess I was bein’ kinda dumb, huh?”</p>
<p>“You were.” Ros deadpanned. “But thank you for coming clean. I will deal with the others later.”</p>
<p>Phil just looked down at her sheepishly. “So uh… Candice has a challenger huh?”</p>
<p>“Yes indeed,” Ros echoed. “Perhaps the two of us will be enough.”</p>
<p>Phil just sighed gently and limped after Ros. He should’ve just taken a nap. Nothing bad ever happened in naps…</p>
<hr/>
<p>The blizzard wasn’t showing any signs of slowing, but Mo in his infinite wisdom was able to bulldoze his way into a cave and block out most of the wind. Eve had found some dry wood and scratched a fire together, and Glace was wrapped around Sparky like a crescent moon, keeping her as close to it as possible.</p>
<p>“Where on earth did you find Aspear berries, Eve?” Glace gulped down several of them. “I’m impressed!”</p>
<p>“Yes, cold resistant berries growing in the snow. Who would’ve thought?” Eve prodded at the fire with her claws. “Anyway, you get back to keeping the kid warm. I’m not supposed to know you’re here, remember?”</p>
<p>“I shall!” Glace beamed, and nuzzled Sparky tighter still. Meanwhile Mo just sat there, slowly chewing on berries and grimacing.</p>
<p>“…sorry about them,” Eve frowned. “Tell the truth I’m not fond of Aspear either, but-”</p>
<p>“<em>I</em> love them!” Glace chipped in, only to back down at Eve’s glare.</p>
<p>“…as I was saying, there wasn’t much else available.” She sighed.</p>
<p>“No bother Eve. Any food’s better than nae food.” Mo said. “So uhh… what now?”</p>
<p>“We wait for the kid to wake up.” Eve deadpanned.</p>
<p>“Aye, but… after that?”</p>
<p>“What do you mean after that?”</p>
<p>“Well we’re no just leavin’ her here are we?”</p>
<p>“Aren’t we? It was her decision to climb this thing.”</p>
<p>“And it was your decision to go save her. I cannae mind Ros tellin’ ye.”</p>
<p>“O-of course you can’t! It’s not like she’s gonna announce it to the world.”</p>
<p>“Aye, just keep tellin’ yersel that Eve.” Mo smirked. “You’ve a big heart, la-”</p>
<p>“Oh, shove it you,” Eve scattered a handful of pebbles at Mo. “<em>Any</em>way, how is the kid doing? She woken up yet?”</p>
<p>“I don’t think so, Eve.” Glace said. “She is still very-”</p>
<p>But he was stopped mid-sentence by a weak shuddering. “O-oh, perhaps not!”</p>
<p>Glace beamed down at the tiny Emolga like a first-time mother as two bleary eyes fluttered open.</p>
<p> “Hello there, silly! You gave us a fright, you did!” Glace cried.</p>
<p>“Speak for yourself…” Eve muttered.</p>
<p>“…huh?” Sparky grimaced. “Whuh? Where… who?”</p>
<p>“You fell asleep in the snow!” Glace chimed, his face about an inch away from hers. “S-so we saved you, friend!”</p>
<p>“We…?” She blinked slowly. Slowly fuzzing into her vision was the gargantuan silhouette of Mo, and the less ecstatic shadow of Eve.</p>
<p>“You guys…?” She mumbled. “But I… but I have to go alone…”</p>
<p>“Oh, you do huh?” Eve stood up calmly. “Never mind what we all went through to save your butt, you have to go alone like some goddamn hero. You heard her guys, let’s move out.”</p>
<p>“Huh?” Both Mo and Glace grunted at her in unison.</p>
<p>“…did I stutter?” Eve looked back. She slowly walked back towards the mouth of the cave. “Remember we’ve got responsibilities to take care of. Poor Phil’s probably been crucified by now.”</p>
<p>“W-well, erm.” Mo shuffled to his feet, scattering fur everywhere and putting out the fire. “I er, s’pose you’ve a point there, Eve…”</p>
<p>“After coming all this way…?” Glace unwrapped himself from around Sparky. “But we are only at the bottom of the path! The rest is surely a-”</p>
<p>“A cakewalk, sure.” Eve interrupted. “And I’m sure she’ll have no trouble making the climb all on her own. Ain’t that right kid?”</p>
<p>Sparky gulped at the menacing silhouette at the cave mouth. A sullen glint staring back at her, waiting on her answer. What was she supposed to say to that?</p>
<p>She writhed and strained into a sitting position. “…I guess so.”</p>
<p>Even talking was tough. How was she going to find her way up this huge mountain by herself? She couldn’t just ask them for help. They’d already done way too much for her. And Eve obviously didn’t even want to be here. They had to get back to that Candice lady. Who was she to ask anything of them?</p>
<p>“Sounds like you’ve made up your mind,” Eve’s voice was distant. “So I guess we’ll get going then. Best of luck on your way up, okay k-”</p>
<p>“Wait!”</p>
<p>Eve bared her teeth. Stupid kid, interrupting her like that. She waited until <em>now</em> to beg for help? Too little too late. Eve smirked and turned to face her. This was gonna be-</p>
<p>“Y-you forgot your hat.” Sparky said, pulling the thing off of her head and handing it back. Eve just stared, wide-eyed, at the tattered red beanie in her paws.</p>
<p>“I-I guess I won’t need it any more, since I’m inside the mountain now…” Sparky mumbled, her eyes lidded. “So uh, I go this way, right? It's as good as any I guess...”</p>
<p>The three of them watched as the pathetic scrap of a Pokémon toddled her way over the rocky cave floor, stumbling over little stones and slipping about on ice patches. Eve glanced up to Mo’s worried stare, and then Glace’s knowing smile.</p>
<p>“Ohhh…!” She raked a paw across her face. “Dammit kid, get back here!”</p>
<p>Sparky tripped over a rock, “Wha-what? Why?”</p>
<p>“Look, you can’t do this on your own. One wild and you’re mincemeat,” Eve explained. “So take the stupid hat back, and let’s climb this together, okay?”</p>
<p>“B-but-”</p>
<p>“No buts!” Eve swiped outwards with her claws. “Now shut up and get climbing before I change my mind.”</p>
<p>“…okay.” Sparky quivered in Eve’s shadow. She could barely make more than a step though, before a pale blue flash jumped in front of her.</p>
<p>“You’re gettin’ the first-class treatment, wee lass.” Mo grinned, as Glace grabbed a hold of her and clambered back up. “You’ll no haver, an' we’ll have ye at the top of the path before ye can say-”</p>
<p>“Gonna keep it down?!” Eve hissed back at him. “I dunno if you’ve realised, but we’re in a cave! Keep shouting like that and you’ll cave it in!”</p>
<p>“Am no gonnae!” Mo raised his voice louder still. “This place is sound! She’ll no be fallin’ d-”</p>
<p>But then an ominous rumble rippled through the cave. The glinting gems quivered as dust and rocks loosed themselves, tumbling across the floor.</p>
<p>And then there was the groan. Low and resonating, something heavy shifted out of the shadows and lunged towards the little group at alarming speed.</p>
<p>“Think fast!” Eve cried, smoothly dodging out of the way as the heavy shadow smashed into the cave wall.</p>
<p>The creature groaned again, and two bright pink eyes lit up about its centre. Glace took a defensive stance, while Eve primed her claws.</p>
<p>“…alright, you guys go on ahead.” Eve stretched her arms, then knuckles. “I’ll catch up.”</p>
<p>“But Eve!” Glace immediately protested.</p>
<p>“But nothing!” Eve sprang to the side, neatly dodging the giant metal bell as it swung past. “That’s a Bronzong. Neither of you two can touch it, so get moving!”</p>
<p>“But we’re no’ wantin’ to see ye get hurt, Eve!” Mo stamped his feet in protest.</p>
<p>“And if the kid gets hurt?” Eve retorted, slashing at the bell’s tough shell with her claws. “Then this whole thing’d be pointless, wouldn’t it?”</p>
<p>Mo let out a tiny whimper. “…we’d better stay back, wee one.”</p>
<p>“Zonnnng.” The Bronzong droned, launching itself towards Eve at a surprising speed. Eve dove behind a rock, which was no obstacle as the heavy bell smashed right through it, sending her flying.</p>
<p>“Oh no!” Glace cried. “Don’t worry Eve, I will help!”</p>
<p>“Dammit!” Eve gasped. “What part of-”</p>
<p>Before Eve could so much as protest, Glace had loosed a powerful Ice Beam from his depths, building up walls of ice and surrounding it.</p>
<p>“Where are you aiming?!” Eve cried.</p>
<p>“I am blocking it in!” Glace said between blasts of Ice Beam. “You are better on ice than cave!”</p>
<p>The Bronzong whirred heavily, before launching another spinning tackle towards Eve. She flinched, and then flinched again when it crashed into one of the ice walls, but then bounced off of it harmlessly.</p>
<p>“…huh.” Eve frowned. “Well I’ll be, Glace. That actually worked. I’ll grant you exactly <em>one </em>dumb question as thanks for that, got it?”</p>
<p>“Ooh, I like those!” Glace beamed.</p>
<p>“See? I told ye she’d be useful Eve!” Mo shouted from the background.</p>
<p>“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves!” Eve said, skating along the icy floor and slashing at the Bronzong with another swipe of her claws. “The bell still has a toll to pay, remember?”</p>
<p>The Bronzong recoiled away from Eve’s claws and crashed into another pillar of ice, cracking deep wounds into the frozen wall. It groaned in pain and then suddenly faded away into the background.</p>
<p>“What the?” Eve grunted. Gently meandering along the ice, she kept her claws prone and her eyes sharp. “Where’d it go?”</p>
<p>Silence descended as all four of them started looking around for it. There was water dripping somewhere deeper in the cave, and if Sparky really listened, she could still hear the blizzard roaring outside.</p>
<p>“…Bronzong can’t teleport, can they?” Eve wrinkled her nose. “I mean, where else could it have gone?”</p>
<p>“Maybe ye scared it aff?” Mo grunted.</p>
<p>“Hmm…” Eve narrowed her eyes. “Alright, I’ll take it. Let’s have that dumb question then, Glace.”</p>
<p>“Wha? Now?” Glace gasped. “I ummm… errr…”</p>
<p>Eve clicked her tongue, taunting an index finger from side to side. “Clock’s tickin’, Glace.”</p>
<p>“Err…” Glace stammered, before his eyes widened. “W-wait a second… <em>can </em>Bronzong teleport?”</p>
<p>“<em>That’s</em> your dumb question?” Eve chuckled. “We discussed that earlier, remember? Talk about a waste of-”</p>
<p>Then the smirk was wiped from Eve’s face. She followed Glace’s stare and span around, just in time to block another spinning tackle from the Bronzong. The pair of them went sliding across the ice, with Eve digging in her heels but making no difference. Pinned against the Bronzong’s weight, both of them were slammed into one of Glace’s ice columns, digging deeper grooves into it. There was a crack, and Eve’s eyes practically burst from the assault.</p>
<p>“Son of a-” She spat, attempting in vain to wrench herself free from the Bronzong pinning it against the ice. But then fear shone in the Weavile’s eyes as the entire thing started glowing.</p>
<p>“…no!” She gasped. “Glace, Mo, get out of here! Now!”</p>
<p>“We’re no’ just leaving ye here lass!” Mo retorted.</p>
<p>“No time for arguing! This thing’s gonna blow!” Eve strained to push the thing away. “And it’ll take half the cave with it! Get as far as you can, dammit!”</p>
<p>“But I-”</p>
<p>“Just, go!” Eve shrieked.</p>
<p>Glace’s ears drooped. He took the lead while a wide-eyed Mo chased after him silently. The Bronzong’s glow slowly got brighter as Eve just stood there, her limbs limp and eyes lidded. She wasn’t even struggling any more.</p>
<p>“What’s Eve doing?” Sparky mumbled.</p>
<p>“You’re no wanting to see that, wee one.” Mo’s voice was low and solemn. “We’ve to get you up the path, so we’re doing that.”</p>
<p>“B-but what about Eve?” Sparky cried. She still hadn’t moved. She was stuck there. Alone.</p>
<p>“There is nothing we can do, Sparky.” Glace didn’t even look her in the eye. “Eve has made her choice.”</p>
<p>“Her… choice?” Sparky mumbled. “But that means…”</p>
<p>“No!” She squeaked, bursting out of Mo’s fur and dashing back down the cave.</p>
<p>“Sparky!” Glace’s voice echoed after her.</p>
<p>Pillars of rock and sparkling jewels flashed past her. Her body was practically pulsing with adrenaline. She wasn’t going to let someone else die because of her!</p>
<p>Scrabbling across a patch of ice, her whole body surged with electricity as she crashed into the Bronzong with full force. It clunked with pain and went flying into the cave wall, causing a huge rockslide. Dozens of heavy boulders crushed it from above, and all it could do was drone in pain as the mountain punished it.</p>
<p>“Zzz…onnn-g.” It droned, before the light pulsing within it faded and died. Its bright pink eyes were the last to fade away into the darkness…</p>
<p>Sparky fell to one knee, gasping for breath. Eve did the same.</p>
<p>“W-what the…?” She muttered. “The hell you doin’, kid?! You were supposed to be halfway up the damn path by-”</p>
<p>“I-I…” Sparky spluttered. “I couldn’t let you do that for me. I don’t want anyone to… to die for me.”</p>
<p>“I don’t care!” Eve found her feet. “I’d made my choice! But that wasn’t good enough for you, huh?! You had to bust on in there and… a-and…”</p>
<p>“Save yer life?”</p>
<p>Eve looked up, and noticed Mo and Glace in the distance.</p>
<p>“Y-yeah.” Eve said. Her voice was soft, and her paws were shaking. “You saved my damn life, ki… Sparky. And I didn’t ask for it, but dammit I’m grateful, I gotta be honest. Where the hell did you learn an attack like that?”</p>
<p>“M-my trainer taught me…” Sparky whimpered, her voice tinged. “S-she-”</p>
<p>“She taught you well.” Eve folded her arms. “You took on something like that and lived to tell the tale. I can tell why you wanna climb this thing now.”</p>
<p>Eve made a few steps forward, before losing strength in her legs and staggering.</p>
<p>“’Mon you.” Mo said. “Get yersel up here. You’ve done enough fer the day.”</p>
<p>"Don't you dare!" Eve flailed, as Glace jumped down. "A-at least let me climb up myself, dammit...!"</p>
<p>She made an attempt to scrabble up Mo's back, but her tired limbs were refusing to co-operate, it seemed. Glace sat beside her and made the gesture, to which Eve grimaced, and used Glace as a step-up.</p>
<p>“You too, wee lass.” Sparky got the same treatment, as Glace helped her back up again.</p>
<p>The Mamoswine took off again, ferrying the three of them up the mountain. Eve kept glancing towards Sparky before blushing and looking away again, meanwhile Glace just hummed to himself.</p>
<p>“I um… just wanna say thanks, Sparky.” Eve mumbled. “Honestly, I mean that. You saved my life.”</p>
<p>“Well you saved mine,” Sparky smiled. “It was the least I could do.”</p>
<p>“…heh.” Eve grinned again. “I guess it was, huh?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey there guys. Just two more chapters to go. Some tense moments, and Sparky needing help yet again, but we're getting there. Thanks for reading, and feel free to drop feedback if you've got any. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Pillars of Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The highest mountain in all of Sinnoh was seen as a hallowed ground by many. Calling it ‘The Path of Souls’ made it no less intimidating, yet there was still a steady trickle of visitors making the pilgrimage to the top of the world.</p><p>“Och, I think I can see daylight.” A heavy voice echoed from one of the emerging tunnels. “It’s been so long, I’ve forgotten what she looks like.”</p><p>“Our journey is almost over, Mo!” Glace’s enthusiasm burst through.</p><p>“Aye indeed,” Mo emerged massively from the cave mouth. “An’ te think sleepin’ beauty here missed it all.”</p><p>Eve grumbled softly on his back.</p><p>“I almost don’t wanna wake ‘em up,” Mo snickered.</p><p>“Are they cute together?” Glace said.</p><p>“No clue Glace. I’ve no got eyes in the back of my head.”</p><p>“Hmm…” Glace wiggled carefully before making the jump and climbing onto Mo’s back. Weaving his way across the shaggy fur, he found the pair of them were resting against each other, sound asleep. Glace giggled happily, his tail swishing with delight.</p><p>“Aha, they are indeed cute together.” He beamed.</p><p>“Am not…” Eve muttered immediately, before sinking back into a doze again.</p><p>Mo cleared his throat, unable to force down his laughter, “H-how cute are they, Glace?!”</p><p>Eve grumbled again, but remained stubbornly asleep.</p><p>“S-super cute!” Glace snickered. “They are the cutest things I’ve ever-”</p><p>“I’m not cute, dammit!” Eve sprang awake like a jack in the box. “So you can quit sayin’… where are we?”</p><p>Mo dissolved into hulking laughter while Glace kept face in front of her.</p><p>“We’re at the top of the path, Eve!” his eyes shone brightly.</p><p>“Aye, that was some nap ye took!” Mo snorted. “Cannae blame ye though, ye were almost exploded after all.”</p><p>“Was not.” Eve slid smoothly down the Mamoswine’s back. “I knew exactly what I was doing, don’t you two worry.”</p><p>“Aye, an’ the wee lass saving yer life was all part of the plan?” Mo said. “Gonnae wake her up by the way? She’s the reason we’re all here, mind.”</p><p>“…you ask me that after I get down?” Eve groaned. “Glace, you do it.”</p><p>“I shall!” Glace smiled, kneeling down in front of Sparky. Despite everything that was going on, the little Emolga was still asleep, looking all washed out and grey. The poor thing didn’t look well, but letting her sleep right now was silly.</p><p>“Good afternoon, Sparky…” Glace soothed, bumping her with his snout. It took a few attempts, but eventually she flinched and groaned, wrenching herself upright.</p><p>“Wh-wha? What’s going on?” She mumbled. “…Glace?”</p><p>“We have to stop meeting like this, friend!” Glace chuckled. “It’s time for you to wake up! We’re at the top of the path!”</p><p>“…huh? How?” She blinked rapidly. That was quick. Among the blinding daylight, she could piece together towering columns and crumbling stone walls. This place looked older than time itself. But she was here for a reason. If there was even an answer to her problem, this place was her best chance of finding it.</p><p>“W-wow, thanks guys…” She staggered to her feet. “So uh, what now?”</p><p>A palpable mote of tension rippled through the others.</p><p>“We uh… we were hopin’ you’d know that bit, lass!” Mo laughed awkwardly.</p><p>Sparky’s stomach twisted. Not only had she tried and failed to get here by herself, but dragged along three relative strangers in the process. And then to top if off, there was nothing here. What was she supposed to do now?</p><p>Her gaze fell to the floor. What was she even going to tell them? ‘Sorry guys, I think we’ve wasted our time’? She’d be lucky if they talked to her again…</p><p>“Oh, how <em>lovely.</em>” Eve jumped the gun for her. “So even if whatever you’re looking for <em>is </em>here, you don’t know how to activate it? Perfect!”</p><p>“…sorry.” Sparky deflated. The idea was a long shot at best, but now Eve was spelling it out in all its flawed glory.</p><p>“Maybe it’s not so bad?” Glace chimed in. “Perhaps we could look around and find something!”</p><p>“Find <em>what</em>, Glace?” Eve raged. “There is <em>nothing</em> here! Unless the gate’s hiding behind that column, we’ve just wasted a whole day getting here!”</p><p>“Gonnae calm doon Eve?” Mo cried. “We cannae be sure until we're sure!”</p><p>“That’s just the problem, Mo…” Eve sighed, picking up a pebble and scratching into it with her sharp claws. “We don’t know anything! So what were we thinking, comin’ all the way out here?!”</p><p>She threw the pebble, which hurtled through the air at a furious speed. Sparky flinched. The last thing she wanted was for them to wreck the place and knock down one of those columns or something. But it didn’t happen. The stone never touched the ground.</p><p>“…huh?” Eve grunted. “The hell?”</p><p>“Did it… disappear?” Glace squinted into the space in front of them. There were dozens of pebbles peppered across the floor, so maybe it was one of those...</p><p>“…I’ll try again.” Eve grabbed another pebble. Four Pokémon watched as the stone arced through the air away from them, before suddenly vanishing from sight.</p><p>Eve grinned. “Interesting.”</p><p>She paced forwards a few feet, before grabbing and tossing another stone, only for it to disappear almost instantly.</p><p>“Maybe there is something here after all.” Her eyes glinted.</p><p>“Y-you mean-” Sparky gasped.</p><p>“Don’t hold your breath just yet,” Eve dismissed with a hand wave. “Something’s goin’ on here, sure, but we’ve gotta figure out what it is first. Triggering it’s a whole different-”</p><p>Her sentence died where it stood however, when a heavy rock smacked her square on the head.</p><p>“Ow, son of a-” She recoiled backwards. “Alright, who threw that?! Cause I’ll warn ya, I’m about this far away from-”</p><p>“N-no one threw anything, Eve!” Glace shouted back. “I-I think it fell from the sky and hit you!”</p><p>“Oh, bull!” Eve raged. “C’mere, kid! You’re the only one with hands, so it had to be you!”</p><p>“B-but it wasn’t me!” Sparky flailed hands at Eve. “I promise!”</p><p>“Oh, really?” Eve’s eyes were bulging. “You just think I’m gonna believe that it appeared out of nowhere?!”</p><p>“Y-yes?” Sparky gulped. Everything she had was shaking. Eve was scary enough when she was in a good mood, but right now she looked like she wanted to fight the whole mountain. The bright red bruise on her forehead was throbbing furiously, which didn’t help, either…</p><p>“…of all the stupid suggestions,” Eve shoved her away. Rubbing her sore head with one hand, she knelt down to pick up the offending stone. Her eyes widened when she turned it over, however.</p><p>In clear, almost overtly square capital letters, the words ‘LEAVE NOW’ had been carved into it.</p><p>“…okay, maybe I was wrong,” Eve rolled her eyes. “There’s definitely something here, and it doesn’t want us here.”</p><p>“…oh.” Sparky rubbed her paws together. “S-so… should we go, then? I mean, we don’t wanna make them mad do we?”</p><p>“Don’t we?” Eve smirked. “What if we keep bugging it? What’s the worst that could happen?”</p><p>“I’m no’ sure of this, Eve.” Mo swallowed heavily. “Death and dismemberment seems pretty likely!”</p><p>“What’s gonna dismember us?” Eve casually tossed another stone into the void, which was promptly swallowed up. “It’s gonna have to come out if it wants to do that!”</p><p>“B-but what if it won’t help us because we made it mad?” Sparky mumbled.</p><p>“Got a better idea?” Eve folded her arms.</p><p>“Umm…” Sparky’s lip trembled. Better wasn’t the word for it, that was for certain. But maybe there was a <em>different </em>approach to just antagonising whatever was hiding here.</p><p>“H-hello?” She spoke to no one. “Is there… anyone here?”</p><p>And if anything, the mountain seemed to grow quieter still. Even the winds stopped, as if time itself had stilled. Eve just rolled her eyes.</p><p>“I-I… I don’t know if you can hear me,” Sparky swallowed down her nerves. “But I need your help. I came here from really really far away, because someone I love was taken away from me… and I want her back…?”</p><p>“Hang on, <em>this </em>is your amazing idea?” Eve scoffed. “To make whatever happen, you’re playing the sympathy card?”</p><p>“Eve! What could that accomplish?” Glace cried.</p><p>“Probably nothing!” Eve raged back. “But d’you think talking to an empty space is a better idea?!”</p><p>“Well how is hurting Sparky’s feelings going to help?”</p><p>“Maybe she needs a <em>reality check!”</em></p><p>A sharp noise escaped Glace, as if he’d stood on something painful, while Mo’s jaw dropped, and even Eve looked ashamed of herself. But it was Sparky whose complexion fell. With little more than a whimper, she turned and ran.</p><p>“Kid, wait!” Eve shouted, making the chase.</p><p>“Great goin’, Eve!” Mo yelled. “You've gone and upset the lass! Now go get her back!”</p><p>“Whaddya think I’m doin’?!” Eve seethed back. “I was just about to-”</p><p>But the conversation was derailed by a sudden, huge explosion of energy. The four Pokémon found themselves rooted to the spot as an impossibly bright ball of bluish light materialised out of nowhere, with the silhouette of a gargantuan creature swarming amidst it.</p><p>Slowly, as if wading from a thick, sticky marsh, a dark blue Pokémon stepped out from the nova and stared the four of them down. Easily taller than even Mo, the blue monstrosity had bright white horns spiking out from just about everywhere and piercing red eyes, just to make it that little bit scarier.</p><p>“…explain your impertinence.” The imposing creature spoke. Its voice calm and concise, yet cutting through the tension in the air like a knife. “You were warned to leave. Yet you have not. Why?”</p><p>“Well, umm…” Glace stammered. “The thing is-”</p><p>“I need your help!” Sparky burst in. “A-and I won’t take no for an answer!”</p><p>“…is that so?” The enormous creature laughed dryly. “And I presume you have plans to threaten, small one?”</p><p>“You bet I do!” Sparky cried, breaking into a run. “I-if you don’t help me, I’ll-”</p><p>The gigantic blue Pokémon blinked, and Sparky’s advance was stopped in her tracks. Floating gently upwards, her eyes darted about helplessly.</p><p>“Cute.” It said, staring through her. “Where is that threat now, little one?”</p><p>Sparky remained in her frozen state, meeting the creature’s empty gaze.</p><p>Was this the sum of all her efforts? To climb the mountain, meet the <em>gods</em>, and come away with nothing? Not even a chance of explaining herself?</p><p>“Perhaps I should restate my warning.” The creature spoke. “I am Dialga, controller of all things temporal. You four have invaded my shrine, so I shall insist that you leave promptly. There will be no further warn-”</p><p>Dialga’s eye flashed. It slowly turned to look Sparky in the eye again. While she was still blue and frozen, floating in the air, her face had since twisted in fury. Occasionally a body part would twitch and stutter, but the writhings were becoming more common by the second, until she broke free of the spell completely.</p><p>“So you’re not even gonna listen to us?!” Sparky shrieked, still flailing uselessly in the air. “After we came all this way, you’re just gonna evict us?! You’re worse than the takers, you big bully!”</p><p>“…bully?” Dialga said. “You want me to ‘listen’, do you? After desecrating my shrine?”</p><p>“Those were pebbles!” Sparky threw an arm outwards. “I’ll put them back if that’s what you want! But I only want <em>one </em>thing, and you don’t even know what it is because you’re not gonna listen to us! So I’ve gotta just float here like a dummy because you feel like abusing your super special powers! Well how about using those special powers to <em>help </em>someone instead of bully them?!”</p><p>“Are ye no wise, lass?!” Mo shouted. “Ye cannae say that to a-”</p><p>“Silence.” Dialga uttered calmly, and suddenly all sound was abolished from the area as if sucked up with a vacuum cleaner. Mo continued shouting, but no sound made it through.</p><p>“Listen, child.” It explained. “I am a deity. I control <em>time</em>. What possible reason could you have that would warrant <em>my</em> involvement?”</p><p>Tears began sparkling down Sparky’s face as the gravity started to set in. Ever since… <em>then,</em> all she’d been doing was getting help from others. Higgle and Socks, Candice, Eve, Mo, Glace, even Ros and Phil, and now an almighty Dialga. What was she doing for them in return? Why did she even deserve it?</p><p>Eve and the others were just standing there now. Maybe they’d finally realised there was nothing they could do. It was all in Sparky’s hands.</p><p>“I… I know what I’m asking is selfish,” she sniffled. “But you’re my last chance…”</p><p>Her body touching floor again, she barely even bothered to stand back up. “M-my trainer… died recently.” She mumbled. “And I couldn’t do anything to stop her.”</p><p>“Stop her?” Dialga rumbled. “You mean that your trainer took her own life?”</p><p>“…yes.” Sparky said. “B-but there’s the problem! I <em>know </em>she didn’t really wanna do it!”</p><p>“What makes you so certain?” Dialga countered. “Such a sequence of events cannot happen accidentally, child.”</p><p>“B-because there were people who were trying to take her stuff away!” Sparky cried. “She… she didn’t have enough dollars, so the nasty takers wanted her things, b-but she didn’t wanna give up her things because… because they were hers!”</p><p>“Yet instead, she gave up her life, and abandoned her three loving Pokémon?” Dialga didn’t sound impressed. “Rather selfish of her, wouldn’t you say?”</p><p>“I-I’m telling you, she didn’t wanna do it!” Sparky yelled. “She only did it because – wait, three?”</p><p>“Yes, three.”</p><p>“H-how did you-”</p><p>“Child, I am a deity. We know everything that goes on in this world. There is no detail too large or small.”</p><p>“…so there’s more of you?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“…oh.”</p><p>“Indeed.” Dialga said. “For example, your trainer Holly…”</p><p>Something venomous grasped at Sparky’s heart at the mention of that name. Sickness, sadness, regret… she wasn’t sure exactly what.</p><p>“We know that her heart was pure, yet filled with an <em>immensely</em> heavy burden. Unable to satisfy it, yet unable to seek help, she took control of the only thing she had left; her own life. And we do not-”</p><p>“S-stop!” Sparky shrieked, new floods of tears escaping her eyes. “Stop that right now! What is this, a doctor’s report? She didn’t wanna, I just <em>know</em> it!”</p><p>“I am merely telling you the truth. Take it how you will.” Dialga rebuked. “We receive full details on every being that passes through this gate, so-”</p><p>“Passes through?” Sparky repeated, the lightbulb flickering. “S-so she’s here?! Right now?!”</p><p>Dialga averted its gaze. Meanwhile Sparky’s just got wider.</p><p>“W-well? Is she?!” She demanded. “If she’s here, and you’re not telling me, then that’s just mean!”</p><p>“…and if she is?” Dialga narrowed its eyes. This scrap of a Pokémon had the nerve to talk to them like <em>that? </em>“What will you do then?”</p><p>“Aha! So she <em>is </em>here!” Sparky yelled. “So that means you can go get her back!”</p><p>“Oh, does it?” Dialga growled. “And what gives you the right to demand her back?”</p><p>“Because she’s not meant to be there!” Sparky cried. “S-so you can just go… get her back now…”</p><p>“I see.” Dialga said shortly. “And if I am not to blindly follow the orders of some random Pokémon that invaded my shrine?”</p><p>“Then I’ll…” Sparky faltered. “Then I’ll keep bugging you until you listen!”</p><p>“You underestimate my patience, little one.” Dialga sighed. "I am the guardian of <em>time. </em>I think you'll find I can be <em>very-</em>"</p><p>“But it’s not <em>fair</em>!” Sparky cried.</p><p>“<em>Life</em> is not fair, child.” Dialga said bluntly. “And I feel it’s about time you learn this, like your two friends have done.”</p><p>“You know-”</p><p>“Yes, we know. And if you promise to give up on this endeavour, I can show you.”</p><p>“I-I can see Higgle and Socks?!”</p><p>“Yes. <em>If </em>you concede this fruitless endeavour.”</p><p>“I…” Sparky hesitated. Once again, she was the odd one out. The newcomer. Socks and Higgle always got along so well, and her high energy approach never helped.</p><p>Maybe that was why she got so attached to Miss Holly. Because the other two didn’t like her so much. They never said it, but it was obvious, because they liked each other so much that they couldn’t have any room left to like her too. Miss Holly was always there for Sparky, but that must’ve only made things more difficult. The old dilemma… it had been taunting her for years now.</p><p>“Do we have a deal, child?”</p><p>She tuned back into present day, only to find that another enormous Pokémon had appeared before her. This one was a huge mass of greyish purple instead of Dialga’s blue, with a long curved neck and a bright red jewel on either shoulder. Not as scary as Dialga, but still pretty intimidating.</p><p>Hovering above this new Pokémon was some form of portal, and through it, Sparky could see Socks and Higgle!</p><p>The pair of them were lost in conversation on a little bed, accompanied by some silly looking pink Pokémon.</p><p>“Socks! Higgle!” Sparky cried. “Guys! How’ve you been?! I’ve been wondering where-”</p><p>“They can’t hear ya, kid.” The enormous purple Pokémon muttered, staring coldly at her. “Ain’t too bright, huh?”</p><p>“B-but they’re right there!” Sparky exclaimed. “I can see them, so why can’t they see me?”</p><p>“It’s a one-way portal…” The purple Pokémon sighed. “Kids these days…”</p><p>Dialga huffed in response. “There, little one. You have seen your friends. Now you must-”</p><p>“No no wait, sshhh…!” Sparky flailed at the deity. “They’re saying stuff!”</p><p>Dialga sucked in a heavy breath, but stayed silent, meanwhile Sparky enamoured herself.</p><hr/><p>“Do… do you think that New Person is nice, Higgle?” Socks asked, who was wearing a beanie hat for some reason.</p><p>“She seems… inexperienced as a trainer, that I will concede.” Higgle said simply. “For example, Mythos here appears to be a water-type, yet lacks any realistic access to water-”</p><p>“…bath.” The pink Pokémon on the floor muttered slowly, its low, dull voice, echoing through the portal, “…time.”</p><p>Its mouth stretched into a little smile, and its eyes slipped out of focus once again.</p><p>“…very well,” Higgle laughed. “I thank you, Mythos.”</p><p>Mythos grunted gently in response.</p><p>“Young Miss Catherine may seem inexperienced, Socks.” Higgle said. “But her heart is most certainly in the right place.”</p><p>“Mhmm… it’d be really weird otherwise, huh?” Socks mumbled, her eyes drooping. “I mean, what if your heart was on your head or something? That’d be super strange…”</p><p>Sparky spluttered with laughter on the other side of the world.</p><p>“Oh, are you getting tired, Socks?” It seems as though your brain cannot keep up with your mouth.”</p><p>“…you know what else can’t keep up?” Socks giggled softly, her sentence hanging.</p><p>“…Ducklett.”</p><p>“Duck…lett?” Higgle narrowed his eyes. “H-how-”</p><p>“Wanna know why?”</p><p>“I suppose they are rather unintelligent…”</p><p>“G’wan Higgle, ask me why.”</p><p>“Hah. Alright Socks, I yield. Why can Ducklett not keep up?”</p><p>Socks stifled another giggle, forcing it down before;</p><p>“C-cause they’re covered in down!”</p><p>Sparky crashed to the floor in laughter, and even Higgle dropped his spoon in surprise. “Oh, very well done, Socks! Such a fantastic joke!”</p><p>“D’you… remember when all those Pidove flew into the house, Higgle?” Socks mumbled, “a-and Trainer got Sparky to chase them out with her electric attacks?”</p><p>Higgle just nodded slowly. “I-I do, Socks. Why do you ask?”</p><p>“That was where I got the joke from.” Socks giggled quietly. “B-but I changed it to Ducklett so you wouldn’t get it so easy.”</p><p>“Ohh, very well done!” Higgle pat her on the head. “Perhaps you should get some sleep, Socks. You must be exhausted, to be talking such non-”</p><p>“No.” socks said immediately. Her eyes bolted wide open. “Almost story time.”</p><p>“Oh, it is?” Higgle glanced across the room. “If I recall correctly, Miss Catherine has begun writing a new story to read to us!”</p><p>“Y-yeah, and it’ll be super nice!” Socks cried. “Be-because New Person is really good at storying!”</p><p>And almost cheesily on cue…</p><p>“Hi guys!”</p><p>Socks bolted upright in response to a young blonde girl strolling into the room holding a teapot and several sheets of paper.</p><p>“Wanna hear my new story?” She beamed down at the pair of them.</p><p>“Yay!” Socks cheered, bounding forwards at the mention.</p><p>“Alrighty!” The girl smiled, lowering her teapot with a clumsy clunk. “This new story is about a brave little Emolga that goes on adventures!”</p><p>Sparky let out a stunned gasp from the other side of the portal, while Higgle’s face dropped and Socks recoiled.</p><p>“…that’s scary, Higgle. Will it be bad?” She mumbled.</p><p>“I-I am sure it will be fine, Socks.” Higgle whispered back. “She cannot possibly know about Sparky, I am sure.”</p><p>The blonde girl took in a deep breath. <em>“Most Emolga are shy creatures, avoiding contact with humans and other Pokémon at all costs, and only leaving their nests if they really had to. Zippy was not your typical Emolga, however; he was an adventurer!”</em></p><p>Sparky let out the breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. Maybe it was all just a huge coincidence then. What else could it have been?</p><p><em>“Zippy was the bravest of the brave, fearing nothing and no one!” </em>The girl continued in her story voice, her eyes aglow. <em>No matter what the danger, no matter where, Zippy would be there to take on the challenge, from the depths of the Whirl Caves to the peak of Mt Coro- </em>oh, bother. I forgot my spoooooon!”</p><p>The girl shuffled her papers and put them down next to Socks and Higgle before dashing from the room. “You can’t have tea without a spoon! So wait right here, I’ll be back soon.”</p><p>“New Person is fun, isn’t she Higgle?” Socks asked, as their new trainer made a swift exit from the room. “Always playing with us, and reading us funny stories, and-”</p><p>But Sparky yelped in surprise as the glowing vision dissolved away in front of her eyes. “Hey what?! Oh c’mon…!”</p><p>“I believe that’s enough, Palkia.” Dialga spoke.</p><p>“Took ya long enough,” Palkia groaned. “That must’ve been twenty minutes.”</p><p>“B-but they were just getting to the good bit!” Sparky scrambled back to her feet. “Change it back!”</p><p>“Change it back?” Dialga simply frowned at her. “Child, you cannot just ask me to ‘change it back’. Now I think you will agree that we have been <em>amply </em>patient with you…”</p><p>“But they were just talking about important stuff!” Sparky cried. “That’s the whole reason I’m here! Just a little bit longer, please!”</p><p>“What purpose would this serve?” Dialga’s voice dropped. “What if, after another half an hour of idle chit chat, you learn nothing new?”</p><p>“T-they were talking about whether or not they liked their new trainer, right?” Sparky’s eyes were enormous and pleading. “That means I’ll find out if they’re happy with their new life. A-and if they are, I promise you, I’ll go. Just that one last thing, okay?”</p><p>“…ten minutes.” Dialga sighed heavily. From out of nowhere, an enormous sand timer surged into existence, the grains slowly tinkling from one end to the other. “You may watch them for ten more minutes. Once these grains of sand reach the bottom, regardless of what you have or have not learned, you will leave this mountain. By force, if necessary.”</p><p>Sparky gulped thickly. “…okay.”</p><p>Dialga and Palkia shared a tired look. Palkia concentrated for a second, and suddenly the portal was back.</p><p>Grains of sand slipped through the timer mercilessly, meanwhile Sparky could see her dearest friends one more time.</p><p>“-Yes Socks, Lady Holly was a wonderful trainer.” Higgle’s voice sounded dainty. “A-and I am sure she is watching over us right now, happy and smiling in the knowledge that we are safe.”</p><p>“Well, two of us are…” Socks sniffles, glancing up at the ceiling. “T-Trainer? I-if you’re up there, look out for Sparky for us, okay?!”</p><p>“Oh gosh, Socks…” Higgle gasped, pulling the sobbing Furret to his chest. “I am sure Sparky is doing just fine…”</p><p>“I’m right here, guys!” Sparky yelled from the other side of the portal. “Don’t you worry Socks, I’m okay! I’m gonna fix everything, I promise!”</p><p>“They can hear ya kid…” Palkia sighed. “Didn’t I explain this already? Pretty sure I explained this…”</p><p>“Sshhh…!” Sparky flailed at it. “They’re saying important stuff!”</p><p>Palkia just glared. “Rude.”</p><p> </p><p><strong>“I miss them, Higgle. I really do…” </strong>Socks moped.</p><p>
  <strong>“I do as well, Socks.”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I… kinda wish we could go back and change things, don’t you? Then Sparky and Trainer would be back, a-and we’d all be a big family again…”</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“I-I would like that, Socks…”</strong>
</p><hr/><p>Sparky crashed to her knees. Grief bubbled just beneath the surface, threatening to fall at any moment.</p><p>“They miss me…”</p><p>The portal dissolved away again, showing a fading image of the blonde girl trying to console a distraught Socks.</p><p>“That is enough, I think.” Dialga’s voice rumbled. The enormous sand timer disappeared in a puff of smoke. “So, I suppose you’ll be leaving, child?”</p><p>Silent tears rolled down Sparky’s cheeks. Guilt boiled in her stomach. What was she supposed to do now? She wasn’t happy. They weren’t happy. No one was happy.</p><p>“They… Miss Holly!” She cried. As if a balloon had just inflated inside of her, suddenly it all made sense.</p><p>“Yes. They are your friends. Don’t you miss them too?” Dialga muttered. “Now, please leave my shrine and go find them. Go find your happy ending.”</p><p>“I came <em>here</em> to find my happy ending!” Sparky cried, rage seething through her. “You said that you’re the one who changes things back? How about you change my <em>life </em> back?!”</p><p>“What right have you to demand such a thing?” Dialga roared.</p><p>“I’m no one special! I admit that!” Sparky yelled back. ”But life hasn’t been fair to me! So I wanna go back and fix it! I don’t care what the price is; I’ll pay it!”</p><p>“You’ll pay the price, will you?” Dialga’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Even if it costs your life?”</p><p>“You can take it!” Sparky cried. “I’ve got nothing to lose! My life isn’t worth anything without my family in it anyway!”</p><p>“And yet you claim that <em>your </em>life has been ruined.” Dialga snorted. “For you to give such a selfish answer, your life must be worth something after all?!”</p><p>“Well… then it’s all the more reason for you to pay up, isn’t it?!” Sparky shouted. “All I want is for you to bring Miss Holly back! Then you can do whatever you <em>want </em>with me!”</p><p>“Urgh… listen child.” Dialga sighed. “I do not know exactly what you expect from me. My job is to keep this world in balance. Why do you think I would jeopardise that balance to appease a spoiled brat like yourself?”</p><p>“Because you guys are supposed to be like gods, right? And gods grant wishes, right?” Sparky raged, her eyes burning. “If you can’t help out a Pokémon in need, then what kinda god are you? A pretty sucky one if you ask me!”</p><p>“Child!” Dialga bellowed. “Gods do not serve Pokémon! If anything, Pokémon should serve the gods!”</p><p>“Oh, so you’re better than the rest of us because the humans pray to you?!” Sparky screeched. “Alright then, I’ll do it your way!”</p><p>Her head touched the floor. Arms in front of her, she chanted. “Oh gods, hear my plea! I wish to make things right!”</p><p>“This won’t work…” Dialga sighed. “Once a life has regressed back to its basic form, it cannot be returned! It will have to be reassigned!”</p><p>“Well then you can reassign my life instead! How’s that sound?!” Sparky didn’t move. “Oh gods, please, hear me! Save her life! Take me instead!”</p><p>“You cannot save her!” Dialga roared, literally knocking Sparky back a few feet from the force of its shout. “Souls have no <em>identity, </em>child. You cannot just go and retrieve her soul, and expect her lifeless body to just accept it again! Leave my shrine now, or I will be forced to make you!”</p><p>“I don’t care!” Sparky yelled. “I’m as good as dead anyway! I’m lost up a mountain and my family’s on the other side of the world! Without them, I’m nothing! So you can either take this nothing of a life, or you can make it into a something!”</p><p>“And if I send you so far back in time that you will never see your family again?” Dialga threatened.</p><p>“Then wouldn’t that screw up your precious balance?!” Sparky countered immediately. “If you’re gonna do that, then you might as well gimme a chance of fixing things instead! Either way, I’ll be off your damn mountain, so whaddya say? Do we have a deal?!”</p><p>Dialga shrieked in rage, an awful, warping noise that shook the very air.</p><p>“You are <em>impossible</em>!” It seethed. Sparky tumbled to the ground as another explosion of power burst from Dialga’s depths. The very air itself felt like it was being stretched and compressed under the creature’s rage, and then an endless, viscous darkness suddenly overtook the mountain.</p><p>“W-what the?!” Sparky cried. “What’s going on?!”</p><p>Two bright red eyes glinted among the darkness, and a new voice entered the situation;</p><p>“A chance, you say?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Dance Macabre</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ground began shaking violently, as vast swathes of mountain were swallowed up into the darkness.</p><p>“It seems as though you have <em>another</em> visitor…” Dialga sighed, lowering its head. “What makes you so special, to dredge<em> him </em>up here, I wonder.”</p><p>“Why, a bet of course.” The new voice growled. Deep and rattling, like chains soaked in honey, the last of the sky’s light conceded as this new deity made its presence known. Eight enormous wings slowly arched out of a hole in the ground, meeting together at a long, serpentine body of red and grey stripes. Two piercing red eyes poked out from a yellow husk, one that looked like those masks bad people wore in scary movies.</p><p>“I’ll happily oblige,” It said, glowing eyes staring right through Sparky.</p><p>“Who… <em>what </em>are you?” She gasped, her voice strangled to a whisper. Shivering so viciously that her teeth were already hurting, she forced herself to look this thing in the eye. Its mere presence made her want to scream and run for the hills.</p><p>“I am the ‘other’ one.” It growled slowly. “The one no one dares speak of. For I seal their fate…”</p><p>A sharp, unshifting chill suddenly blew over Sparky. This must have been the gatekeeper. The one she had to convince.</p><p>“S-so you’re…” Sparky mumbled.</p><p>“Yes,” It answered for her. “I am the one who controls the afterlife.”</p><p>Sparky’s eyes widened, and the idea flickered. Like one of those neon signs down a dark alley, it seemed like maybe it was a bad idea? But definitely better than no idea...</p><p>“And you’re saying you want to give me a… chance?” She gulped down. Whatever this thing was offering her, there was no way she was getting it for free.</p><p>“Seems fair to me.” The beast said lightly. “I feel as though a <em>wager </em>is in order. It’s been a while, after all.”</p><p>“You are serious…?” Dialga huffed. “I had almost rid us of this pest, and now you show up, giving her incentive to stay with a promise you don’t intent to keep…”</p><p>“What can I say?” The new deity chuckled. “I love a gamble.”</p><p>“Oh, so upsetting the fragile balance between worlds is taboo, but perfectly fine when the <em>mighty</em> Giratina requests it?”</p><p>“…don’t see why not?”</p><p>“Sickening.” Dialga spat. “Going against His wishes and endangering the balance just to appease a bet?!”</p><p>“Eh, balance shmalance. We can fix it no biggie. Now we havin’ fun or what?”</p><p>“Oh, Arceus above…”</p><p>“’Sides, it’s only <em>your </em>world. Mine’ll be fine. Heck, I’d probably enjoy the busi-”</p><p>“Enough.” Dialga cut in. “This is not your dimension, Giratina. You have no authority here.”</p><p>“Yet here I am. So… we’re doing this?”</p><p>“No, we are not! I have nothing to gain from this and everything to lose!”</p><p>“But that’s what makes it <em>fun</em>! And who knows? It might be fine?”</p><p>“Might?” Dialga snorted. “We are not about to-”</p><p>“That’s right, kid!” Giratina suddenly swooped towards Sparky. “I’m offering <em>you </em>a once in a lifetime chance! Follow me and I shall explain <em>all…”</em></p><p>The ghostly snake thing sunk back into its dark portal, maintaining its gaze with Sparky. “You coming or what? Time’s a wasting.”</p><p>Sparky swallowed heavily, glancing up at a fuming Dialga.</p><p>“I wouldn’t.” It didn’t even look at her. “You might not come back out.”</p><p>Giratina glared up at it. “I thought you wanted the kid out of your shrine? I’m doing the thing you want. Quit complaining already.”</p><p>“…fine.” Dialga turned away. “You’ve taken the world’s fate into your own hands. And so I shall divorce myself from this fiasco.”</p><p>“Works for me.” Giratina ‘shrugged’ with its eight shadowy wings. “You coming, kid?”</p><p>“B-but Dialga said I might not come back?” Sparky’s voice was barely a squeak.</p><p>“You wanna see your trainer or not?” The deity’s eyes bounced.</p><p>“I… I can see Miss Holly?!” Sparky gasped, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. Of all the impossible, outlandish things she’d heard today, this was the worst. It said it ran the underworld, yet also said she could see Miss Holly. It seemed too good to be true, and too good to pass up, both at once. Could she even trust this Giratina? Dialga didn’t seem to. But then again, Dialga wasn’t promising her she could see Miss Holly.</p><p>Sparky glanced into the shadowy depths. It was like someone had spilled a whole load of ink onto the mountaintop, and no matter how much she stared, she couldn’t see anything beyond the surface.</p><p>“Ready to take control of your fate?” Giratina said, its voice suddenly warm and inviting. Dialga let out a short huff in the background.</p><p>Sparky looked away from the inky portal. Rough flagstones met her gaze. What did she even have to lose? Turn Giratina down, then just go back to Candice and wait for this ‘friend’ of hers? What good was that going to do? Just exist somewhere else, knowing she could’ve had a chance to change everything?</p><p>Even if Giratina was lying to her, she wasn’t going to accomplish anything by just standing there. At the very least she was getting off of this mountain. Throwing her life away over absolutely nothing would suck, but there was that tiny niggle of uncertainty. Maybe it wasn’t for nothing. Maybe the god of the underworld was being honest with her?</p><p>“…o-okay.” Sparky shivered. Taking in a deep breath, she jumped into the empty, endless portal. A viscous cold gripped at her the moment she took the plunge, but if she were honest with herself, it was nothing compared to the blizzard. Or the boat. Or even the ride in the truck.</p><p>Floating downwards towards what she could only assume was the ground, she felt as though she could see for miles, yet at the same time could barely see in front of her eyes. Swallowed up by the gentle bluish glow, it felt like the world itself was depressed.</p><p>Except Giratina. It seemed delighted for some reason. Maybe it just wanted some company, Sparky chuckled inwardly.</p><p>“…so.” It caught her gaze, swimming through the emptiness alongside her. “You know why you’re here. Do you have any questions?”</p><p>“Um…” Sparky hesitated. “Y-you said my trainer is in here, right?”</p><p>“That’s right.”</p><p>“Why… why can’t I see her?”</p><p>“Because we’re not there yet.”</p><p>“…oh. I-is she happy here?”</p><p>“Bit of a sticky question there…” Giratina frowned. “When living things pass away, their souls return to the planet, and they leave their emotions at the door, so to speak. Until they’re reassigned, that is.”</p><p>“Re… reassigned?”</p><p>“Uh huh. Think of this place as like a waiting room. Depending on the host’s behaviour during their lifetime, their soul is eventually reassigned to an appropriate new life. Like, an average, uneventful life would probably get reassigned into another average, uneventful life. Your trainer, on the other hand…”</p><p>Sparky’s heart twisted. If was as if Giratina had reached in there and grabbed a hold.</p><p>“…bit of a mixed bag, I’ll be honest.” It sighed.</p><p>“H-how do you mean?” Sparky said.</p><p>“Well, put it this way. Your trainer had qualities across the board. She worked her hardest to provide for her three high maintenance Pokémon, despite a whole lot of nothing happening in her life. But then again, she also took her life. And I gotta be honest, that last one is frowned upon.”</p><p>“B-but why’s that so bad?” Sparky mumbled.</p><p>“How would you feel, if you gave someone an amazing gift, and they just threw it back at you?” Giratina said.</p><p>“B-but she didn’t throw her life away! She was forced to do it!” Sparky cried.</p><p>“And you know that for certain?” Giratina’s hollow eyes narrowed. “I don’t think you do, kid.”</p><p>“But I know my trainer!” Sparky said. “S-she was always so nice to us, and did everything she could to make sure we were happy! She even made us poffins on the night… night before…”</p><p>Some semblance of land floated into view. The pair gently hovered towards a tiny island in the middle of the nothingness, landing softly on dying grass.</p><p>“Listen, kid. You don’t know what your trainer was thinking that night.”</p><p>“…a-and you do?” Sparky.</p><p>“Yes. I do.” Giratina growled back at her, its voice dropping a notch lower. “That night, her mind was set on one thing only; a lifetime of existing, without <em>living.”</em></p><p>“…huh?” Sparky frowned. Weren’t those the same thing?</p><p>“Put simply, she was <em>tired</em> of her life. She’d wake up on a miserable morning, look after her three Pokémon, sometimes escaping to go shopping. That was the highlight of her day, kid. <em>Shopping. </em>For bare essentials at that. Forget luxuries. No money coming in, no friends, no love interests… it’s no wonder, really…”</p><p>“B-but…” Sparky stammered. “But she always looked so happy when she was with us! I remember her being happy all the time! A-are you telling me my memories are a lie?!”</p><p>“I don’t need to, kid.” Giratina said. “It’s easy to pretend you’re happy. No one asks difficult questions if you just sit there and smile.”</p><p>Sparky sighed. Miss Holly sure did smile a lot. Were they all just pretend? How long had she been lying to them?</p><p>But then there was the cuts on her arms. And the tired look. And all the times she got mad for silly reasons, like when Socks left the front door open and a Venipede got into the house and started chewing on the coffee table. It all made sense now…</p><p>
  <strong>*Foooooop!*</strong>
</p><p>A low, whistling noise punctured Sparky’s thoughts. She glanced up to see that a railroad of all things had appeared out of nowhere.</p><p>“Perfect timing.” Giratina chuckled. “Looks like you might get to see her after all.”</p><p>Ominous red lights flashed back at the pair of them as a heavy metallic sound rumbled in. An expulsion of steam hissed out of nothingness, and the rest of the spooky creation followed after it – a ghostly contraption of connected metal hundreds of metres long. With an awful, screeching wail, the spectral strain howled to an eventual stop, and it belched out another bellyful of steam, shutting off its engines.</p><p>“Bit of an odd concept, I know.” Giratina sighed. “This dimension is an unusual one. Existential perception is difficult for just anyone to grasp, so it’s been structured in a way where it would appear in a form you’d better understand.”</p><p>“…s-so it’s not actually a train?” Sparky asked.</p><p>“No, in a word.” Giratina said simply. “Reassigning souls doesn’t have a definite form. Once a decision has been made, all they need to do is wait for an appropriate life to be made available.</p><p>“Wait… available?” Sparky queried. “S-so… it’s like waiting for a movie, but there’s a queue?”</p><p>“…I’m not sure I understand your wording, but it sounds like you get the idea.” Giratina nodded.</p><p>“Uh huh,” Sparky shivered. “And the train is because…?”</p><p>“I guess you like them or something?” Giratina said vaguely. “Anyway, here we are at a ‘station’, where a limited number of appropriate souls can be reassigned. Souls will be leaving the ‘train’ and passing through this station to their next life. Those who don’t get off stay on until a suitable life opens up. Make sense?”</p><p>“So… the people getting off at this station,” Sparky put two and two together. “They were good in their last lives?”</p><p>“The souls leaving the train right now led forgettable but overall ‘good’ lives, like I mentioned earlier.” Giratina explained.</p><p>“Oh, so like shopkeepers?” Sparky just blinked.</p><p>“…yeah, something like that.” Giratina nodded, just as the train door swung open with a silent whoosh.</p><p>Before their eyes, living essences of people and Pokémon began to dismount the train. Their faces were lifeless and empty as they simply made their way to their next lives. Despite the blank faces, they themselves couldn’t be more different: a businessman with overlarge glasses and a briefcase; a young woman with an apron over her long green dress, and her hair woven into a tight bun; a Raticate that seemed to be missing its whiskers; a teenage girl helping a younger boy safely down from the train…</p><p>“Remember how I said souls are blank slates?” Giratina said, as Sparky watched the pair of them. “Occasionally personality does slip through. Those two were together in death, so it only makes sense that they’re together in the afterlife, doesn’t it?”</p><p>“H-how-”</p><p>“Car crash.” Giratina deadpanned. “Humans and their technology. All it does is speed up their deaths. The operator fell asleep at the wheel, and they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’ll be getting off at the next stop.”</p><p>“Wh-what’s the next stop?” Sparky dared.</p><p>“Basically it’s a huge grey area,” Giratina said. “But if you’ve done something to annoy us, odds are you’ll be getting off at that stop.”</p><p>“S-so Miss Holly’s getting off at <em>this</em> stop, right?” Sparky chittered, her voice higher than she wanted, but nerves were getting the better of her.</p><p>“…right?”</p><p>“Let’s find out.” Giratina’s eyes flashed, and Sparky’s heart gave an unpleasant wrench.</p><p>A Makuhita with a black eye and bloodied head,</p><p>An old lady dressed in some fancy looking bathrobe,</p><p>A Charmeleon with an extinguished tail...</p><p> </p><p>And no one else.</p><p> </p><p>“Hunh? Where’s the rest?!” Sparky squeaked. “Miss Holly <em>is </em>getting off here… right?!”</p><p>Just as her name was mentioned, a ghostly visage appeared at one of the windows. There was the same blank expression as everyone else, but Sparky could recognise the long dark hair, the prominent cheeks and the oversized hoodie anywhere.</p><p>“Miss Holly! O-oh, she’s okay!” Sparky cried.</p><p>“Not the words I’d use…” Giratina sighed.</p><p> </p><p>But then the train whistled again, and sickly bile surged in Sparky’s stomach.</p><p>
  <strong>*Foooop!*</strong>
</p><p>“Wha?!” She shrieked, scrambling towards the train as its engines kicked back into life. “B-but Miss Holly! She’s still on the train!”</p><p>“That she is.” Giratina deadpanned. “You expected her to get off? Here and now?”</p><p>“W-well yeah!” Sparky gasped, jumping about as much as she could. “Why wouldn’t she?!”</p><p>“Maybe this isn’t your trainer’s stop?” Giratina sighed. “Also, stop doing that. It won’t make any difference.”</p><p>“H-how do <em>you </em>know?!” Sparky cried.</p><p>“I control this dimension, child.” Giratina’s eyes rolled. “Believe me when I say nothing will-”</p><p>“I can still try!” Sparky yelled back, putting her paws to her temples. Miss Holly was a memory, right? That was what Ros said. So maybe if she brought up some memories…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Sparky! Chase these Pidove away with a Spark attack!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sparky sprang into action, coating herself in a surge of electricity and skating across the kitchen lino, spooking a flock of confused Pidove. Feathers scattered everywhere, and one crashed into the dining room door, but after a few moments of bemused flapping, the half a dozen Pidove scarpered out the window.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“…phew!” Holly wiped her brow. “Ohh, who’s a good girl! You did so well, Sparky!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Sparky…”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“…Sparky?”</p><p>A distant, echoing voice dragged Sparky back from her daydream. She grunted and looked up, only to see Holly’s ashen face staring her down. She was just as deadpan as ever, but definitely looking right at her with her empty, lifeless eyes.</p><p>Had Miss Holly heard her? Did her memories actually work?</p><p>Meanwhile, Giratina looked no less stunned. “…w-well what do you know? Looks like you made a difference.”</p><p>“Uh huh! See?!” Sparky threw a paw at the ghostly mirage on the other side. “Now can she get off?! She doesn’t belong there!”</p><p>“How can you be so sure, kid?” Giratina’s eyes narrowed. “This place isn’t exactly biased. If she’s not getting off here, she isn’t meant to. Like I said, we don’t take self-termination lightly. Odds are she’ll be getting off at the next-”</p><p>“<em>Stop it!” </em>Sparky raged. “I don’t care what you think! <em>My trainer</em> doesn’t belong there! She belongs back in the real world, in her kitchen, where we can make cookies and she can give me hugs!”</p><p>The train let loose another ominous whistle, as the carriage began to pull away.</p><p>“Huh?!” Sparky scrambled after it. “No no, wait! Waaaaiiiit!”</p><p>Picking up speed, the spectral train chugged down the tracks, leaving Sparky for dust. Stumbling across the tracks, Sparky fell to the ground and sobbed.</p><p>“She doesn’t belong there…” She whimpered into the floor.</p><p>
  <strong>“Maybe you could save her?”</strong>
</p><p>Those words rang with a clarity she could almost taste. But <em>daren’t. </em>How could she save Miss Holly from a situation like this? A few days ago that was impossible, but now the lord of the underworld was telling her that maybe it wasn’t?</p><p>“Wh… what do you mean?” Sparky sniffled, dragging herself into a sitting position at the edge of the tracks.</p><p>“Did I stutter?” Giratina’s flashing eyes bounced. “Maybe you can save her. Now this is the part where you woo me with your finest offer.”</p><p>“Offer…?” Sparky frowned. What could she possibly have that Giratina would want? She was just Sparky. “B-but I don’t have anything to offer…”</p><p>“Now that’s a pity, kid.” Giratina’s voice was low and dangerous again. “Because this is her stop.”</p><p>
  <strong>*Fooooop!*</strong>
</p><p>Sparky spun around, and once again the phantom train rattled past. How they had gotten to the next station was enough of a conundrum, but there was a bigger problem burning in Sparky’s mind.</p><p>“…you knew this was gonna happen.” She narrowed her eyes.</p><p>“Guilty as charged.” Giratina ‘smiled’ from the depths of its soulless face. “Doesn’t change anything though. Gonna offer me something? Time’s a-wasting!”</p><p>The phantom train slowed to a heavy halt, and with the heavy scrape of a metal door sliding open, silent footfalls touched the ground.</p><p>“M-Miss Holly!” Sparky bolted upright and charged after what was once her trainer. “Miss Holly, don’t go! I need you!”</p><p>“She’s not the one you need to negotiate with, kid.” Giratina chuckled emptily. “I am the ruler of this world, therefore I am the one you need to make a deal with. Got it?”</p><p>“Fine! Umm…” Sparky hesitated, stopping in front of her trainer, only for Holly to pass straight through her. Holly gave her a half a glance, but continued walking slowly towards a gate in the distance – several metres high, wrought with bars of spiky black iron.</p><p>She had to stop Miss Holly going through that gate. No matter what, she had to.</p><p>“Tick tock, kid.” Giratina snarled behind its mask. “Tick… tock!”</p><p>“W-well what do you want?!” Sparky cried. “How am I supposed to know what the god of the underworld would like! I don’t even have anything worth trading! And definitely not worth someone’s life! Not even my-”</p><p>Her heart gave an almighty thud, twisting with realisation. If there was anything she’d learned from her time here, it was that all life was created the same. Souls – the dregs of life – were the equaliser, discarding their differences in the interest of renewal.</p><p>“…my soul.”</p><p>“Your what?” Giratina asked, swooping closer.</p><p>“Oh c'mon, you heard me!” Sparky’s eyes shone with resolve. “I-if I can save Miss Holly, you can have my soul. Is that good enough?”</p><p>“You do realise that, if I take your soul, you’ll no longer-”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“…well then! It looks like we have a deal!”</p><p>A sheet of paper materialised out of nowhere, and fluttered down in front of Sparky, followed by a red crayon of all things.</p><p>“B-but I can’t read this! What if it-” Sparky started.</p><p>“No time for small print, kid! You wanna save her or not?”</p><p>“O-o-okay! Sparky cried, snatching at the crayon. Nerves mountain, she wrestled the stick of wax between her paws, and scrawled across the paper. “…done! Now what?!”</p><p>“Heh.” Giratina chuckled. The crayon and sheet of paper burst into flame. “Your fate has been sealed. And so has hers.”</p><p>A flutter of white wings swooped down from above, attaching themselves to Holly by the shoulders. She didn’t struggle at all as the wings raptured her away from the queue, and both disappeared into the distance.</p><p>“Is… is that supposed to happen?” Sparky swallowed her heart.</p><p>“Yup. Perfectly normal.” Giratina hummed. “Alright kid, back to the surface world. Now we just gotta convince Dialga.”</p><p>“You what?!” Sparky yelped, fear and rage colliding beneath the surface. “I thought this was a guarantee?!”</p><p>“Relax kid, they’re a pushover.” Giratina dismissed. The pair of them rose back up through the ‘air’ towards the surface world. All traces of land beneath Sparky quickly dissolved away into the dull bluish horizon, leaving the pair surrounded by endless black once again…</p><hr/><p>“You didn’t…!”</p><p>Giratina floated, calm and unblinking, as a livid Dialga glared at it. “Just <em>what</em> did you promise this mortal?!”</p><p>“Relax, it’ll be fiiiine.” Giratina gave a strict deadpan. “It’s not like it’ll-”</p><p>“I don’t <em>care</em> if it will work!” Dialga roared, exploding with energy. “You cannot promise a service that does not belong to you! How many times must you – ugh, you stupid, reckless-”</p><p>“Need I remind you that you’re down 5-2?”</p><p>Dialga’s eye twitched. “That’s why you’re doing this? To win a bet?”</p><p>“Yes. Weren’t you listening earlier? That’s like the whole reason I’m here.”</p><p>Dialga’s entire face contorted. “…fine!”</p><p>“You’re in luck, kid.” Giratina muttered to Sparky, as Dialga stared the pair of them down.</p><p>“As for you…” It seethed. “You have invaded my shrine, insulted Palkia and I on numerous occasions, and made a foolhardy deal with <em>this</em>,” it glared in Giratina’s direction. “However it seems you will get your wish after all…”</p><p>“I-I do?!” Sparky gasped, her eyes lighting up.</p><p>“Yes. Giratina, in their… <em>haste, </em>has decided to promise my abilities to just anyone, it seems. I think you shall agree that it is quite the nuisance!”</p><p>Sparky just nodded. She got the thing she wanted. Pushing her luck seemed like a bad idea.</p><p>“So um… what do we do now?” She mumbled.</p><p>“Just stay where you are…” Dialga said, its eyes closed. “I am reading your timeline.”</p><p>“O-okay,” Sparky said, and made the effort to stand still. By hook or by crook, she had made a deal with the gods. Now all she had to do was not mess up.</p><p>“…alright,” Dialga opened its eyes at last. “I am ready.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. A Sense of a Spark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dialga focused, a quiet energy radiating outwards from it. “Now, before I do this, I must state a few terms; remember them as best you can, little one:”</p><p>“As best you can, avoid contact with others. All contact leaves time travel residue, and thus can destabilise the temporal balance;</p><p>Do not interact with your past self at all cost. This may cause a time paradox, and potentially spell disaster;</p><p>Do not lose track of your objective. Self-assurance is key. Should you begin to doubt yourself, the temporal energy tying you to this plane will cease to exist, and thus so shall you;</p><p>And lastly, you have <em>one</em> shot at this. If you fail, it’s game over. There is no give without take. In order to gain, you must present something of equal value as offering. In short; <em>Life to save life, little one</em>.”</p><p>Sparky gulped down nerves. What else was there to do in a situation like this? There was every chance she could be throwing her life away for nothing. Eyes shimmering, she nodded slowly.</p><p>“I-I have to do this,” She shivered. “Otherwise Miss Holly will be gone forever…”</p><p>Dialga stared down at her. “Do you have any questions?”</p><p>“Umm…” Sparky trembled. “T-this won’t hurt, will it?”</p><p>“You shouldn’t experience any pain,” Dialga said. “You may experience some mild nausea, however."</p><p>Sparky frowned a little. It sort of made sense, she supposed. Travelling on a boat made her feel sick when she wasn’t used to that, so travelling in time must’ve had a similar effect?</p><p>“If that is all,” Dialga hummed. “Let us begin.”</p><p>The deity closed its eyes and began concentrating. There was no change at first, but then Sparky slowly felt a prickly, static feeling wash over her, like one of Miss Holly’s big woolly sweaters. And suddenly, a burst of energy bowled her over.</p><p>Bizarre waves started emanating from Dialga, powerful enough to bend light itself. Sparky’s jaw fell as the pillars around them started distorting out of shape, warping into a huge wobbly ring above them. Sparky staggered back to her feet and grabbed onto the nearest stable object; Dialga’s leg.</p><p>She felt like she was being squashed and compressed one moment, then stretched painfully at every possible angle the next. Through the rainbow coloured wind that seemed to be floating downwards past them, she could just about make out the visions of past goings on. It looked like there was two humans arguing a few metres away at one point, and a backwards battle taking place ‘afterwards’ with four trainers and at least ten different Pokémon she couldn’t recognise. That was shortly followed by the memory of a tall man with blue spiky hair standing directly in front of them. He had one hand to his chin, and another grasping at some weird red necklace.</p><p>“If it weren’t for these past events…” Dialga announced, its voice cutting through the noisy static like a knife. “Your efforts would have been in vain, child. Consider yourself fortunate.”</p><p>The urge to chuckle bubbled and died in Sparky’s throat. Though it might’ve been the urge to throw up, given what was happening. It was like she was trapped inside a huge, rainbow jelly after all.</p><p>Lucky, she muttered inwardly. Lucky wasn’t the word. She’d had someone helping her through pretty much every step of this trip, just so she could inconvenience them some more. Lucky was just the tip of the iceberg…</p><p>The pulsing distortion finally began to weaken, and Sparky regathered her strength at last.</p><p>“4:41 AM.” Dialga said, glancing towards the deep blue glow in the east. “You have twenty-four hours. Make good choices, little one.”</p><p>The rippling slowed to a stop, and Sparky suddenly found herself stranded on top of a mountain.</p><p>“Hey, wait-” she cried, spinning around. But another sharp distortion had her thrown back again, tumbling across the ground.</p><p>“Remember the terms…” Dialga rumbled through the distortion, before a brilliant display of rainbow light had the deity disappearing completely.</p><p>“Oh, no…!” Sparky gasped, picking herself up and nursing a bruised wing joint. “H-how am I gonna get all the way back home in just a <em>day</em>?!”</p><p>Suddenly, the dull pain in her arm twanged, and she felt the bottom fall out of her stomach as it started to turn transparent and fade…</p><p>“Wha?!” She shouted. “Nooo, no no no! You can’t make me disappear! I’m gonna do this, got it!” She cried up to the heavens above. Dialga said self-assurance, so maybe just shouting at the skies would prove that.</p><p>“I-I… I believe in me.” She said, her heart pumping furiously. More pain ricocheted through her arm as it dissolved back into solidity once again.</p><p>“W-wow, they weren’t kidding…” she mumbled. “I guess I’d better get moving…”</p><p>Shuffling slowly across awkward ground, Sparky confronted the dawn with as much confidence as she could muster. What other choice did she have? It wasn’t like Dialga was just going to teleport her home. They were already doing her too much of a favour…</p><p>“What were those terms again…” She asked herself as she scuttled down the mountain paths. “Don’t talk to past me, that’s obvious. Stay confident; I can do this! Umm…”</p><p>Lost in the cloud of her thoughts, Sparky took the paths blindly, paying no heed to what was going on around her. Charging across the same lumpy paths however, a blue haired young man rushed past her, with another man in hot pursuit.</p><p>“Get back here, Cyrus!” The dark-haired man yelled. “You cannot evade the International Pol-”</p><p>But in his haste, the dark-haired man tripped over poor Sparky, sending both of them crashing to the floor.</p><p>“C-curses…” he gasped, clutching at his shin. There was a rush of wind, however, as the blue-haired man zipped past on a purple, bat-like Pokémon.</p><p>“Maybe next time, Looker!” He laughed coldly, disappearing beyond the horizon.</p><p>“That… is ominous.” The one known as Looker grimaced at the horizon.</p><p>‘Oh no! I’ve changed something!’ Sparky shrieked inwardly. She saw those two humans when Dialga was sending her back. She buried her hands in her face. It had only been a few minutes as well! Could she do anything without messing up?</p><p>Meanwhile, Looker was talking into the collar of his trench coat. “I have lost Cyrus, however the Spear Pillar is currently safe. Set up a perimeter around Mt Coronet and all should be fine. Looker out.”</p><p>Clearing his throat, he looked around and noticed Sparky limping her way down the slope. “…oh dear.”</p><p>He caught up to her effortlessly. “Little Emolga, what are you doing all the way out here? Are you lost?”</p><p>Sparky glanced up at this stranger and frowned. They’d just knocked her over, and now they wanted to take up more time she didn’t have? But Miss Holly said she should respond when spoken to, because that was polite.</p><p>“Umm…” She craned her neck skywards. Why were humans so tall? It made them so hard to communicate with.</p><p>He couldn’t understand her, and she couldn’t speak human, but there were other ways;</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>“And your leg… I am the one responsible for that?” Looker frowned at the fresh bruise seething on her leg.</p><p>She nodded again. By now he just had to be wasting her time. Her stare hollowed. How much longer was he going to talk?</p><p>“You appear troubled, little Emolga.” Looker said. “Perhaps I can be of assistance?”</p><p>Sparky just rolled her eyes. Did this human actually want to help? Or just take forever to say nothing? Candice was nice, sure, but she was definitely in the minority on that matter. Then again, a response would stop this conversation. That way she could figure out how she was going to get home, with or without this guy’s help.</p><p>Sparky just nodded for the third time, and made her eyes as big as they could go. Socks was the expert at this, teasing treats out of Miss Holly all the time with her ‘supercute stare’ as she called it, so maybe…?</p><p>“Hm, perhaps,” Looker said, offering her a hand to climb onto. “Let’s help you, Emolga!”</p><p>What harm was one more helper going to do? She’d already broken the rule when Looker tripped over her, so borrowing him for a bit longer wasn’t going to hurt. Probably. How he was going to ‘help’ was a different matter, but at least he didn’t have a bad leg.</p><p>She balanced carefully on his shoulder as he dug into the depths of his trench coat and extracted a pokeball. Humans still used those?</p><p>“Mandy, let us fly!”</p><p>His capsule opened with a flash of bright red light, and out of it burst a giant, frail looking bird-like Pokémon. Its eyes narrowed expectantly at Sparky, a menacing glare that pierced right through her.</p><p>“Mandy, we are to help this Emolga, okay?” Looker said, carefully climbing aboard it.</p><p>“…alright.” Mandy sighed. “Where to, snack?”</p><p>The sharp, beady eyes looked her up and down hungrily, and suddenly Sparky had never felt more vulnerable.</p><p>“Um… please don’t eat me?” Sparky squeaked. “I’ve got a really important thing to do, and I can’t do it if I get eaten!”</p><p>“Oh? Do tell!”</p><p>“M-my trainer! She’s going to… d-die if I don’t get back to her in time!”</p><p>“Die? Ooh, how delightful!”</p><p>“Y-yeah… wait, no it isn’t! It’s not delightful at all! And I need to get back to her!”</p><p>“…if you insist,” Mandy crowed, spreading its inky black wings. “Where is she?”</p><p>“Accya…” Sparky struggled. Why did Miss Holly have to live somewhere so difficult to say?</p><p>“Acca-you-muller town?”</p><p>“Accumula?”</p><p>“Y-yeah, that’s the one!”</p><p>“All that way?” Mandy's ashen eyebrows rose. “Impressive for such a munchkin.”</p><p>“-you can make it, right?” Sparky mumbled.</p><p>“I'll make no promises,” Mandy said. “Master wishes it however, so I can at least try."</p><p>“Thank you!” Sparky cried. “Thank you so much!”</p><p>“Don’t thank me yet,” Mandy flapped its huge, ragged wings. “We’re a long way away."</p><p>The enormous bird lifted itself from the ground, taking Sparky and looker with it. Mandy glared at the rising sun for a few moments, before turning slightly to the right and taking off, scattering feathers with some vicious, energetic flapping.</p><p>“It appears as though you are in luck, little Emolga!” Looker said. “Mandy seems to know where you wish to go!”</p><p>“…sometimes I wish humans could understand us,” Mandy squawked against the wind.</p><p>“Me too…” Sparky mumbled, a wistful note creeping into her voice. It would’ve made so many things so much easier. There was only so much you could do with a smile or a nod. Actual words had so much more power.</p><p>Wind whistling against her ears as the three of them soared towards sunrise, Sparky took in the atmosphere. There was a wistful, impatient blue stretching across the horizon and fading into the blackness of dawn, not unlike that of the underworld, she noted. </p><p>A sense of finality washed over her.</p><hr/><p>Many hours passed, and a seemingly endless stretch of sea had opened up underneath them, no doubt testing Mandy’s endurance. Punishing sunlight wasn’t helping matters, and the exhausted creature seized her first chance in hours; a tiny, desolate spit of land.</p><p>“S-sorry appetiser…” It gasped, losing height. “But I need a break!”</p><p>“It appears as though we’re in for a crash landing!” Looker exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Sparky and bracing for impact. Mandy dug her claws into the sand and ground to a halt, before immediately collapsing under itself in the shadow of a lone Pinap tree.</p><p>With Sparky still tucked under his arm, Looker dismounted and took a seat in the shade, stroking Mandy’s head. “Stellar work so far, Mandy.”</p><p>Sparky shook herself free and started pacing about the sand. Her teeth were chattering despite the heat, and her limbs were throbbing.</p><p>“It’s okay, it’s okay…” She muttered to herself. “I-I’m gonna make it, I’m sure.”</p><p>“Calm down.” Both Looker and Mandy said at the same time. They turned to each other, offered identical frowns, and Looker continued alone. “Mandy just needs food, water and rest, okay?”</p><p>With that notion, he pulled a fishing rod from seemingly nowhere.</p><p>“Perhaps you could rest too?” Looker said, casting his line into the water and wedging it against the tree. “You must be exhausted…”</p><p>“I’ll sleep when I’m dead!” Sparky cried.</p><p>“We’re going nowhere kid.” Mandy groaned. “Do me a favour and quit pacing about at least.”</p><p>“I-I can’t sleep! Now when Miss Holly’s in danger!” Sparky rooted herself to the spot.</p><p>“Suit yourself…” The bird grumbled. “But the time’ll pass quicker if you take a nap or something.”</p><p>Sparky felt a whimper ripple through her system. Even when she was supposed to be doing the brave, heroic thing, she was still getting told what to do. Was her entire purpose just to look pathetic and get help from others?</p><p>Her melancholy was interrupted by a sudden stirring at the end of Looker’s fishing line. Snatching at it before his catch could wriggle away, he coiled the line and reeled in a Magikarp.</p><p>“Here we are, Mandy,” he grunted, dropping it in front of her. “Lunch.”</p><p>Mandy hummed hungrily, before catching Sparky’s gaze. “…you may want to look away or something, kid.”</p><p>Sparky just grimaced. She didn’t need telling twice. As Looker presented Mandy with a glass of crystal clear water that he’d also stowed away somewhere inexplicable, she hid around the other side of the tree, burying her face in her hands.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>“Careful, Sparky!” Miss Holly chastised, her arms full of stuff. “Stay out of the way now, sweetie…”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“But I wanna help!” Sparky jumped up at her. “C’mon, lemme carry the butter or something!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jumping about in her excitement, Sparky bounced around at her trainer’s legs, ready to snatch at anything she could reach. But in the short walk from the fridge to the kitchen counter, it didn’t take long for herto get in the way. Holly stumbled, her ingredients clacked together dangerously, and she could only offer a wide-eyed stare as the Rawst berry jam slipped from her arms.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Her gaze slowly dissolved into a lidded glower when the jar shattered stickily into the floor. Shuffling the rest of the way to the counter, she deposited the butter and milk. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Looks like that’s scones out the window…” Holly rubbed at her knee. “Sparky, are you hurt?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sparky just looked up at her trainer, wide-eyed and silent. Miss Holly didn’t look mad, just… sad. Both of her hands were on the counter, and she was slowly spinning one ankle around. Sparky just glanced up at her and shook her head slowly.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That’s a relief,” She gave a little smile. “Can you go get the dustpan for me? It’s in the hallway!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Okay!” Sparky grinned, toddling off into the hallway to retrieve it. It was a little plastic bowl with a brush attached to it, perfect for cleaning up small messes, which made sense because they’d just made a small mess.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Holding it like a big hero’s sword, she staggered back into the kitchen.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Here ya go Miss Ho…lly?” Sparky’s smile withered. Miss Holly hadn’t moved since she left to get the dustpan. The flour and other stuff was still in the cupboards, and she was just stood there, resting against her elbows with her head in her hands. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hm?” She sniffled. “O-oh, sorry Sparky! I was just… lost in thought. I’ll get this mess cleaned up, and then how about we make some poffins together huh?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yay, I love poffins!” Sparky cried, handing her the dustpan. Miss Holly rubbed her face with her sleeve, and knelt down to scrape up the broken jam jar. She walked slowly over to the waste bin and dumped it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Well, the kitchen smells nice at least?” She smiled thinly. “Now, let’s make some cookies huh? You can hold the big spoon, Sparky.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yayyy!” Sparky practically jumped into her trainer’s cradling embrace…</em>
</p><hr/><p>“Okay Mandy, are you ready to get going again?”</p><p>Sparky grunted, lifting her head from her arms. What was a fierce midday sun just moments ago had washed out for a calming sunset. The rose tinted sky was peppered with pink and grey clouds, while gentle waves casually lapped at the shore. Sparky glanced around, only to find Looker’s trench coat covering her.</p><p>“W-what the?!” She gasped, springing back to her feet. “What happened?!”</p><p>“You fell asleep, kid.” Mandy stretched her wings and gave a couple of test flaps. “You must’ve needed it, to sleep for that long in this…”</p><p>“B-but… but where’d the day go?! It was lunchtime like… a moment ago!” Sparky cried.</p><p>“Funny thing about time, kid. It carries on without you.” Mandy cackled softly.</p><p>“Oh no…!” Sparky’s lip trembled. That was a whole day wasted. Miss Holly would’ve been settling down for the night by now, reading them a bedtime story. It was called <em>The Little Lost Aron</em>, and they only got about halfway through it. An overwhelming grief washed over Sparky. Was Miss Holly lost? Was that what she was trying to tell them? Why she did what she did?</p><p>Sparky clenched her fists. No matter what, she had to hear the rest of that story.</p><p>“Oh, perfect timing Emolga!” Looker said. “I was just about to wake you up!”</p><p>He retrieved his coat and mounted Mandy. “Shall we get going again?”</p><p>Sparky pushed her exhausted limbs forward, clambering towards his outstretched hand. “Thanks…” she mumbled.</p><p>“Okay, and we are ready Mandy.” Looker said, thrusting a commanding arm to his right.</p><p>Mandy shook her head slowly and took off to the left, away from the setting sun. “Humans. They never know where they’re going, am I right kid?”</p><p>“Uh huh…” Sparky nodded. “My trainer gets distracted all the time. Like there was this one time she was at the market looking at all these shiny metal things for like… forever.”</p><p>“Hmm… any chance she just wanted them?” Mandy said.</p><p>“I uh, guess so?” Sparky blinked. “They’re just shiny bits of metal though. Why would she even want those?”</p><p>“Take it from me, kid. Sometimes we just like things that sparkle. They made us feel pretty.” Mandy said. “Humans are no different. This idiot buys three watches a week.”</p><p>It nodded its head back to Looker, who was currently staring at a brightly coloured glassy thing on his arm.</p><p>“Hm,” Sparky mused. “Those shiny metal things must’ve been worth lots of dollars then...”</p><p>Mandy just murmured softly, gliding silently through the night skies.</p><hr/><p>Horizons were reached, surpassed, and replaced soon afterwards, with little islands passing underneath every few minutes, little voids in the moon’s reflection. </p><p>Mandy seemed perfectly calm on this cold night, cruising through the endless darkness without so much as a fluster.</p><p>“You can do it, Mandy.” Looker would offer ‘encouraging’ words every now and again. Maybe he was feeling just as useless, Sparky muttered internally. They were little more than dead weight on this long, ocean-crossing trip;</p><p>“I believe in you, Mandy.”</p><p>“We’re almost there, Mandy!”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, shush…” She crowed back at him. “You don’t even know where we’re going.”</p><p>“I’m sure he’s only trying to make you feel better?” Sparky chipped in.</p><p>“Need not, want not.” Mandy deadpanned. “My species thrives on dark and depressing things, not the squishy, fluffy… <em>happy</em> ones. The fact that Master is trying to encourage me is only a reminder that I’m doing something <em>good </em>for the sake of another. I’d be a laughing stock among my own…”</p><p>“…oh,” Sparky deflated. “I-I’m sorry to hear that.”</p><p>“Don’t be. I’m just following my Master’s orders and helping out a fellow Pokémon. You’d do the same, no?”</p><p>Sparky’s spirits dropped further. These last few days were all about Pokémon helping her rather than her helping them. She was too small and useless to be of any help to anyone else.</p><p>But then there was that time she knocked out a Bronzong to stop it exploding on Eve… that was definitely helping someone else. And she wasn’t too small to do it either. Maybe she wasn’t completely helpless after-</p><p>“’Sides, I’m in a win-win position here. Either I help you and get rewarded for it by Master, or I get to enjoy a heart-wrenching goodbye!”</p><p>"I..." Sparky’s response faltered, her eyes welling up at the thought. It was entirely true; she might not make it. And if she didn’t, all of this was just a waste of time. </p><p>“…you always been this innocent, kid?”</p><p>“I-Innocent?” Sparky sniffled, wiping her face. “How’d you mean?”</p><p>“Y’know, pure,” Mandy crowed. “So overly trusting, so blissful, so… naïve.” It shuddered.</p><p>“I’m naïve…?” Sparky muttered. After all she’d seen and done on this long journey, she was still naïve? Maybe this big bird was super cynical or something…</p><p>“You couldn’t be more sweet and innocent if you tried, kid.” Mandy cackled. “Readily asking for help from complete strangers? You must be the ruby among the rocks in this awful world…”</p><p>“But you guys looked nice…” Sparky sighed. What Mandy said made sense, though...</p><p>
  <em>“It’s Miss Holly! She’s flying!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What kinda things do you guys sell?! I’ll be your best customer ever!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Best of it? How’re we gonna do that, Higgle?! We don’t know why we’re here, or even where here is! We don’t even have a TV!”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Maybe she needs a <strong>reality check</strong>!”</em>
</p><hr/><p>“You’re right.” Sparky deadpanned, her face falling. “...I honestly thought I’d changed. Thought I’d maybe gotten better at these things, cause I’ve seen a lot of nasty stuff these past few days. But I haven’t changed at all. I’m still stupid and naïve, asking random people for help because I don’t know any better…!”</p><p>"Hey now, this world might be a nasty place, but there's no shame in asking for help if you need it, you hear me kid?"</p><p>"Uh huh?" Sparky sniffled. Talk about mixed messages. Was asking for help good or not?</p><p>"The trick is, to always be yourself. You’ll open new paths, and make new friends, if you just show them the real you.” Mandy said</p><p>“…just like Miss Holly said.” Sparky blinked away tears.</p><p>“Miss Holly?” Mandy grunted.</p><p>“O-oh, she w-is my trainer.” Sparky said.</p><p>“Hm. Likes shiny things, blunt and honest… my kinda trainer.” Mandy laughed. “So uh, what time were you hoping to get home, kid?”</p><p>“4:41,” Sparky said. “W-why?”</p><p>“Hah. How oddly specific,” Mandy remarked. “Well you're in luck. Take a look northeast."</p><p>“…at what?” Sparky squeaked. “I can’t see anything?”</p><p>"That's because you're looking west."</p><p>"...oh. I-I still can't see anything though?"</p><p>“Huh?” Mandy cawed. “Ohh, right, your eyes aren’t as sharp. Give it a few minutes then.”</p><p>“A few minutes for what?”</p><p>“Land, kid. You’re almost home.”</p><p>Sparky frowned. This had to be a joke. She couldn’t see anything in any direction. It was like that time she fell in the fireplace. But then she looked again. The outer limits of her vision revealed a distant glow. It wasn't in the sky, though.</p><p>It was the light of buildings. Of cars. Of streetlamps. Against the darkened silhouette of land. They were almost there!</p><p>“O-oh wow, it’s <em>home!”</em> Sparky cried. “Oh, you’re amazing! You’re wonderful! Thanks so much!”</p><p>“I wouldn’t celebrate yet, kid.” Mandy stated. “That land’s a good twenty, maybe thirty minutes away.”</p><p>“Thirty minutes!?” Sparky shrieked. “W-what time is it?!”</p><p>“…almost four,” Mandy said. “Hey listen, kid. If I’m too late, I just wanna let you know in advance… I’m sorry.”</p><p>“W-what happened to the win-win situation?” Sparky gasped. “Won’t you be happy either way?”</p><p>“You’re right, I should be,” Mandy sighed. “And any other time, I probably would be. But you’ve kinda grown on me kid.”</p><p>“I-I have?”</p><p>“Yeah, I won’t lie. You, an innocent little Emolga, afraid of everything, you find it in your naïve little heart to trust one of the most hated Pokémon<em>.”</em></p><p>“Hated?”</p><p>“Uh huh. You see, we Mandibuzz are generally feared because we are said to only approach those soon to die.”</p><p>“Die?!”</p><p>“Yet you straight up asked me for help. That was either the dumbest or bravest thing I've ever seen, but dammit, maybe this time I’d like the happy ending for once.”</p><p>“Then let’s end happy!” Sparky encouraged. “We’re almost there!”</p><p>“Roger that,” Mandy started losing height. “Let’s save your trainer, kid.”</p><hr/><p>The dawn began threatening the horizon as Mandy clumsily descended upon a small field in Accumula Town. The moment two shaky legs touched grass however, she collapsed beneath her own weight and fell to the floor, heaving.</p><p>“There… you go.” She gasped. “Now go save… your trainer… kid!”</p><p>“Thank you sooo much!” Sparky exclaimed, dismounting Mandy and practically gliding across the field towards her home. “I’ll remember you al-wah?!”</p><p>She glanced back at Mandy, only to find her and Looker surrounded by a shoal of Frillish.</p><p>Floating ominously in the murky dawn, the eerie pink and blue mounts of tentacles had them surrounded.</p><p>“Ohhh, no no no!” Sparky cried. She didn’t have time for this! Any minute now Miss Holly was going to die, but now Mandy was in trouble too!</p><p>“L-leave her alone!” She shouted, rushing back and charging into the nearest Frillish with a Spark attack. “Don’t you hurt my friend!”</p><p>The Frillish was knocked down, opening up a small gap in the circle, but its cohorts turned to face Sparky, staring her down with their empty eyes…</p><p>“What’re you doing?!” Mandy choked. “Go, now!”</p><p>“I can’t leave you here!” Sparky objected. “They’ll kill you!”</p><p>“I’ll be fine!” Mandy hacked. “But your trainer won’t if you don’t move! Now!”</p><p>But then there was another flash of crimson light.</p><p>“Kevin! Fight them off with your Sucker Punch!”</p><p>A bright purple Pokémon with large red blobs along its body emerged from nowhere, striking the Frillish in the small of the back, one by one. The shoal quivered and wobbled before slowly backing away again, dissolving into the depths of the lake behind them.</p><p>“Now go!” Mandy ordered. “There’s no time, kid!”</p><p>“O-o-okay!” Sparky cried, spinning back around. “Thank youuuuu!”</p><p>She scrambled across grassy knolls and cobbled roads, dodging around parked cars and swiping for the open window on the bottom floor. Scrabbling desperately, she clutched at the windowsill and pulled herself up, squeezing through the gap.</p><p>“C’mon c'mon…” She puffed, tumbling through the other side and mountaineering the stairs in record time. Lungs ready to explode, she burst into the bathroom and looked around.</p><p>Her eyes filled with tears.</p><p>“Oh no!” She gasped. History was repeating itself.</p><p>In front of her, Miss Holly was floating above the bathtub. Suspended by only a rope, she hung limp, and Sparky fell to her knees in front of her.</p><p>“I was so close…!” She muttered, tears falling to the floor. Why didn’t she just go? Leave Mandy alone like she was told. Maybe she was doing the right thing, helping someone who needed it? But now she was just going to have to relive the nightmare. Again…</p><p>“Life… to save life.” She sniffled. Forcing herself back to her feet, she dared to look up. “I’m so sorry, Miss Holly. I failed you <em>twice</em>…”</p><p>The rope creaked, and Sparky winced at the noise. But then Miss Holly <em>moved</em>.</p><p>It was only a little movement, a twitch of the leg. But dead people couldn’t move, could they?</p><p>“Huh?” Sparky gasped. “Miss Holly! You’re still alive?!”</p><p>She scrabbled up onto the rim of the bathtub, and tried with all her might to lift her trainer out of her situation. “…dammit, she’s too heavy! I can’t… do it!”</p><p>Sparky hopped about on the spot. Miss Holly was still alive, but stuck like this. What could she, a tiny little Emolga do to save her? </p><p>There was only one answer. She needed help. Sparky dashed out of the bathroom and down the hall, where she burst into the bedroom and confronted three sleeping Pokémon; Socks, Sir Higglesworth, and <em>herself…</em></p><p>Her other self looked so peaceful. If only she knew…</p><p>“C’mon Higgle, wake up!” She hollered, grabbing his arm and shaking it. “There’s no time…!”</p><p>A drowsy Higgle slowly opened his eyes. “…what is it, Sparky?”</p><p>“It’s Miss Holly! Quick quick!” Sparky cried. “She’s in the bathroom, and she’s gonna die!”</p><p>“…die?” Higgle mumbled. “How do you know?”</p><p>“I don’t have time to explain!” Sparky raked her paws down her face. “Just come with me, quick!”</p><p>Higgle just groaned and turned away from her. He had to pick <em>now </em>to not believe her?! All of the dumb pranks she'd played over the years and it was <em>this </em>one he didn't believe?</p><p>Maybe she shouldn't have pulled all those pranks. Then they wouldn't be in this situation in the first place...</p><p>Sparky fell to her knees. Why was everything going against her? When she needed it the most?</p><p>But another voice came to her aid.</p><p>“Who’re… you talking to, Higgle?” Sparky’s past self mumbled, stretching. “It’s still early. Go back to sleep, okay?”</p><p>“Oh, Sparky…” Higgle moaned. “I was talking to… you!?”</p><p>The Kadabra bolted upright. For there was not one Sparky, but <em>two. </em>One snuggling next to him in the beanbag, and the other standing in front of him in the darkness, a look of complete and utter desperation shining in her eyes.</p><p>"Higgle...!" She sobbed.</p><p>“W-what on earth?!” Higgle sputtered, jumping forwards. “What is going on here?!”</p><p>“No time to explain!” Sparky cried, “Come quick!”</p><p>She dashed off back into the bathroom, and Higgle was given little choice but to follow.</p><p>“I-I must be seeing double…” He muttered to no one. “There is no way that there can be two of Sparky. That is just-”</p><p>But he followed Sparky into the bathroom, and once again he <em>saw.</em></p><p>“Lady Holly!” He exclaimed, running over to her. “Oh dear, what have you done?!”</p><p>“It’s not too late!” Sparky said. “Float on there and lift her up!”</p><p>“B-but I lack physical strength! Higgle shouted. “There is no way that I can-”</p><p>“Please, just do it Higgle!” Sparky cried. “You’ve got to try!”</p><p>“A-alright,” Higgle muttered. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he gently floated upwards and grabbed at her underarms. Her body didn’t move, but there was just enough strength to dislodge her head.</p><p>And she fell…</p><p>With a limp thud, Holly tumbled into the bathtub, and both of them just stared.</p><p>“C’mon c’mon…” Sparky cried, shaking her. “W-what do I do?! She’s supposed to wake up now, right?”</p><p>But her trainer just laid there, lifeless. Meanwhile agonising seconds ticked by.</p><p>“What… what am I supposed to do?” The little Emolga mumbled, poking her trainer in the cheek. That always worked.</p><p>It didn’t.</p><p>Poking her in the shoulder did nothing, too.</p><p>And more seconds just slipped by. Without her.</p><p>“Please Miss Holly! It’s time for you to stop flying now!” Sparky pleaded. Another shake had her discharging electricity from her paws, and the static was sent coursing through Miss Holly with a jolt.</p><p>The single jolt charged through her, stimulating joints once again, forcing heart muscles to contract just one more time. Blood pumped through her system, just once more. Her diaphragm was forced downwards by the rush of blood, and…</p><p>“Hagh?!” Holly spluttered, coughing, hacking, and <em>waking up</em>!</p><p>“Oh gosh, yes!” Sparky squeaked. “I-I did it! I actually did it!”</p><p>She brought her hands to her mouth, but the feeling wasn’t there.</p><p>Slowly, the little Emolga’s limbs started to fade, starting off as a gentle transparency and feeding along her body. </p><p>Now it was her turn.</p><p><em>“Take care of Miss Holly, okay Higgle?” </em>She said, her voice echoing and eyes glittering, as Miss Holly’s eyes fluttered open. <em>“I… I’ve gotta go now.”</em></p><p>“But wait, Sparky!” Higgle cried. “What in the world is-”</p><p>Socks and the other Sparky ambled into the room, wide-eyed and concerned.</p><p>“Higgle!” Her past self cried. “What’s-”</p><p>And just for a moment, she saw. It looked like a drowsy illusion at first, but then realisation hit. “…oh.”</p><p>Fading softly into the background, future Sparky waved cheerfully to her counterpart.</p><p><em>“…heh.” </em>She smiled, tears sparkling in shiny eyes. With a sniffle, a brave little Emolga faded away into the dawn.</p><p>“What… just happened, Higgle?” Socks yawned.</p><p>“I am not quite sure,” Higgle frowned, staring at the spot where an Emolga stood just moments ago. “But I think we have you to thank, Sparky.”</p><p>“M-me?!” past Sparky squeaked. “What did I-”</p><p>But her confusion was interrupted by a new voice;</p><p>“…guys? What… are you doing here?”</p><p>The three Pokémon spun around to see none other than Holly. She looked more tired than ever, and the purple bruise around her neck looked nasty. </p><p>But she was awake.</p><p>“Lady Holly!” Higgle cried, jumping into the bath and hugging her. “Ohh, we are so glad that you are safe!”</p><p>He was quickly joined by the other two, gladly hugging into her.</p><p>“…you were all worried about me?” Holly mumbled.</p><p>Three Pokémon simply beamed smiles back at their trainer.</p><p>“Oh gosh…” she mumbled, tears bubbling in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, guys. I was about to be really selfish. But seeing you three made me realise. If you hadn’t stopped me, what would’ve happened to you all?”</p><p>She stroked each of them on the head in turn – Sir Higglesworth first, followed by Socks, and then Sparky – and cleared her throat. “I-I’ll get through this. With you guys by my side to help me, I’m sure I will. Because we’re a family, and family sticks together, right?”</p><p>And a happy family indulged in a group hug, thanks to one heroic Emolga…</p><p>…plus a friend or two.</p><p>“Well done, kid.” Mandy cackled. She and Looker gently took off from the ground, and flew off into the distance...</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Meanwhile…</em>
</p><p>“That’s another one for me.” Giratina laughed, scratching another notch into one of the shrine’s many pillars. “Your choice this time, Dialga.”</p><p>Dialga sighed fondly. “You chose well, but I'll win next. I’m sure our target is waiting in the wings…”</p><p>
  <strong>FIN</strong>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's it, folks. Quite a lot to cram into one chapter, sure, but yeah. That's us done with the actual plot.</p><p>Coming up next; an OVA, if you will. Because this story needed a bit of happiness.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. OVA: Acquisition</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a calm, sunny day in Accumula Town. The occasional gust of wind had blossoms fluttering about merrily, and various bird Pokémon enjoying the gentle breezes.</p><p>Carefully making her way down the path, a head of dark hair bobbed amongst a rustle of shopping bags. Worn out trainers groaning with every few steps, she meandered her way around benches and trees as if by sixth sense.</p><p>Stopping timely as a Lillipup bounded past, she glanced either way before crossing the cobblestone road.</p><p>“Here we are…” the young woman muttered to herself, kneeling down and plonking her shopping bags on the ground.</p><p>As she fished in her jeans pocket for her keys, her shopping had nevertheless attracted attention;</p><p>“PrrRrrr...”</p><p>Tilting its head to one side, a particularly fat Pidove strutted over to the bags. Maybe there was food here? Maybe it was just bags. Wouldn’t be the first time.</p><p>“Prr?” It cooed, pecking swiftly at the bag while its owner continued flicking through keys. The bag was unguarded and exposed. It was now or never.</p><p>“Durrv!” Another sharp peck tore a hole in the bag, and strangely enough, another bag slipped halfway out, only making things more interesting.</p><p>The Pidove snatched at this new bag, only for it to explode and cover everything in a blast of powder. It flailed back away from the bag, flapping wings and scattering flour everywhere. It had made a cardinal sin, however; the human noticed.</p><p>“Hey!” Having finally gotten her door open, she’d turned around and found a Pidove, all chalk white and confused. The silly thing had torn into a bag of flour, which of course spread everywhere.</p><p>“Ohh, you silly thing…” She found herself torn between a groan and a chuckle. “This is my food, not yours! And flour isn’t even food!” The Pidove just stared up at her expectantly. Because humans always had food, didn’t they?</p><p>“Aw, alright,” she rolled her eyes, digging into the untorn bag and extracting a few Poké-pellets. “Here you go!”</p><p>She threw the handful and giggled as the Pidove wobbled after them. Several more fell out of the sky at the sign of food however, so it was probably time to get back inside.</p><p>Gathering up her shopping, she staggered through the doorway and edged it closed again with her foot.</p><p>“Home at last…” she muttered to herself. She took soft steps down the carpeted hallway, wondering how long it was going to take.</p><p>The moment her trainers clapped onto kitchen lino, however, a thundering sounded from upstairs. Many footfalls collaborating, the young woman smiled to herself.</p><p>As her shopping bags crunched onto the kitchen countertop, and three more Pokémon burst into the room.</p><p>“Hey there guys! Did you miss me?”</p><p>Wiping the flour off her shoulder, she knelt down to address the three Pokémon, “Did they behave, Sir Higglesworth?”</p><p>The tallest of the three – a wizened Kadabra – looked to his trainer adoringly and gave the thumbs up.</p><p>“Okay, that’s good. What about him, Socks? Did Sir Higglesworth behave?” She glanced over to the second of the group; a Furret. Smaller and skinnier than your average Furret, Socks made a short tittering noise that could’ve been mistaken for an actual giggle, followed by a spirited nod.</p><p>“Ooh, that’s good!” The trainer laughed. “Now everyone come here and give us a cuddle!” The trio didn’t need telling twice. Sir Higglesworth the Kadabra nestled in under her left arm, while Socks draped herself across the shoulders, and the smallest of the three – an Emolga named Sparky – had to physically climb her trainer to get in on the hug. She wasn’t forgotten though, as an arm looped around her, and she was brought up to her owner’s chest.</p><p>“Okay, I have news. First things first, I’ve got to go into town again tomorrow to see Doctor Collins tomorrow, so that means you’re in charge again Sir Higglesworth.”</p><p>“Kada!” Sir Higglesworth’s voice was deep and resonant. He gave her a stiff nod, followed by a salute.</p><p>“Atta boy,” she squeezed him tight. “A-and secondly, since you’ve all behaved so well, it looked like we can have a wee treat for after dinner tonight! And you, Sparky, can help!”</p><p>The little Emolga literally jumped for joy, sending sparks flying in the process. Meanwhile the other two just looked up at her expectantly. “Oh, don’t worry you two. You can go play together for a while, and I’ll call when dinner’s ready, okay?”</p><p>Sir Higglesworth looked taken aback at this news, however Socks seized her chance, leaping into him with a full body tackle and bowling him over. She giggled and gambolled away, waiting for him at the end of the kitchen. An impish gleam in her eyes, she waggled her tail tauntingly.</p><p>“Well? Go chase her Sir Higglesworth! You’ll never get her like that!” The trainer chuckled.</p><p>Sir Higglesworth huffed, frowned up at his trainer, and dragged himself back to his feet. He took a moment to stretch and dust himself off before runing after Socks.</p><hr/><p>“Right, let’s get started!” Lady Holly’s voice echoed down the hall as he slowly made his way up the stairs. There was a smattering of photos adorned along the staircase, and Sir Higglesworth found himself slowing down just to look at them. Again.</p><p>Socks was going to take her time finding a hiding place anyway, so there was no harm in having another look. They illustrated the best parts of his life, after all; ever since meeting Lady Holly.</p><p>His favourite had to be the latest addition, right at the top of the staircase. From an outside perspective, it would have seemed like an ordinary, even poor photograph. Lady Holly was not looking her best in this image – her eyes were bloodshot, and there was a nasty purple bruise across her neck. But there was also a huge toothy grin across her face, and he, Socks and Sparky were creatively squashing together so that they could all fit in the frame. Socks was looped over Lady Holly’s right shoulder while he wrapped her arms around her waist from the other side, and Sparky nuzzled her from the left shoulder, looking up at the camera with her eyes shining bright.</p><p>“Ah, truly a lovely moment.” He said to no one in particular. “It seems as though Lady Holly has found her happiness out here at last…”</p><p>Sir Higglesworth tore himself away from the nostalgia. Socks had taken long enough to find a hiding place; now it was his time to seek!</p><p>“Now, where could Socks be hiding…” his voice bounced dramatically as he crept through the house. He bypassed the bathroom completely – there were no hiding places in there. Not really – and instead went straight to the bedroom. It was only a little house, after all, and the bedroom had the most hiding places. He creaked the door open gently, and made sure to avoid the squeaky floorboard. Her sharp ears would pick up on that instantly. With a hand to his chin, Sir Higglesworth took to thought…</p><p>The beanbag: large, bright green, covered in yellow polka dots. Also a personal favourite of hers. Perhaps too obvious…</p><p>The bed: strewn bedclothes would make for ideal hiding, but the darkness did not. Not when you were a Furret with a fear of the dark. It was even darker under the bed, thus even less likely.</p><p>The wardrobe: huge and spacious, and one of the doors was ajar, so she could bear the darkness. Maybe.</p><p>But then a clue drifted across the peripheries of his vision; The curtains.</p><p>A smile crept upon the Kadabra’s face as he noticed the gentle billowing. Not quite closed, like always, it was too perfect. Socks could ‘hide’ while enjoying the view, and not being in the dark. Sir Higglesworth rubbed his hands together. He had won this round. He pulled the curtains back with a flourish.</p><p>“A-ha!”</p><p>But there was no Furret to be seen. Only a window that had been nudged open.</p><p>“Hmph?!” He huffed, closing and opening the curtains again as if that would make a difference.</p><p>To think that Socks had the nerve to bait him with an open window. And his stomach twisted as something moved behind him. Before he could even turn around, Socks had bounded from on top of the bed and dashed out into the hallway. “You’re a silly, Higgle...!”</p><p>“How on… earth?” It was like he had been slapped in the face. He must have been staring right at her and just not considered the possibility. The humility was oddly satisfying, if he were entirely honest with himself.</p><p>A smirk crept across his face. Still irritating, however. Rolling his eyes and ambling off into another room, it was time to chase after Socks again. He wasn’t going to underestimate her this time.</p><hr/><p>Meanwhile, two bakers were hard at work downstairs.</p><p>“Alright… and pound!” Sparky followed her trainer’s orders to the word, punching at a huge ball of dough and scattering puffs of flour everywhere.</p><p>“Good girl.” Holly smiled, watching her little Emolga’s face glow with delight as her practised hands flattened out another ball with the rolling pin.</p><p>“Okay, and swap!” She stepped around her Emolga, chuckling at the pummelled dough ball Sparky had left in her wake. “You get to use the cookie cutters now, got it?”</p><p>Sparky nodded, toddling across the countertop for the brightly coloured plastic and strategically squashing them into the dough. “Okay, I’ll put a tree there… and a smiley face here… ooh, and a Magikarp up there! She’s such a good jumper!”</p><p>Being helpful was great. She was making Miss Holly happy and having fun at the same time. Plus that meant they got to have cookies later, and that made it double fun.</p><p>“Whoops! Careful there Sparky!” Holly cried, catching her before she could topple forward into the dough. “If you can’t reach, it’s better to go around, okay?”</p><p>Sparky nodded up at Miss Holly. That made a lot of sense. She wouldn’t have made a very good cookie, for sure. Hugging the yellow boat shaped cutter to her chest, she shuffled around to the other side.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Back upstairs…</em>
</p><p>“Socks…?” Higgle muttered, creeping along the hallway. “Where are you, Socks? I shall find you yet!”</p><p>Surely there were not many places left to hide. It was a short hallway, with only the empty bedroom, the spare room, which was full of dusty boxes, a little cupboard full of spare towels and other fabrics, and the bathroom, of which the door was now ajar. It wasn’t earlier. Higgle narrowed his eyes at the crack of light. Surely not another ruse?</p><p>“You’ll not fool me twice, Socks.” He grinned, reaching for the cupboard door. “It is only a matter of time until I find you!” The door flew open at his hand, and Higgle spied… nothing.</p><p>Just rows of towels and bedsheets.</p><p>“…oh.” He deflated. Overthought again, it seemed. “P-perhaps she is in the bathroom after all…”</p><p>He turned towards the bathroom door and frowned. Where was Socks even going to hide in t-</p><p>“Higgllllle!”</p><p>Higgle was hit by another surprise as an avalanche of towels burst out of the cupboard, Socks buried among them. The mass of fabric barrelled into Higgle knocking him to the floor with a thud.</p><p>“S-socks?!” He gasped. “Where on earth?!”</p><p>“I was being a blanket, Higgle!” Socks tittered, casually sitting on him. “I hid good, didn’t I?”</p><p>“Keh! You sure did, Socks…” Higgle couldn’t help but chuckle. “You have really gotten rather good at this.”</p><p>And Socks continued to sit. With a pillowcase draped about her like a cape, she blinked innocently. And said nothing.</p><p>“Umm… Socks?”</p><p>“Yeah Higgle?”</p><p>“Perhaps you could get off of me now? I rather enjoy breathing.”</p><p>“…oh yeah! Sorry Higgle!” Socks leapt from him effortlessly and took off down the hallway. “Come find me again, Higgle! Best out of-”</p><p>Socks’ request was interrupted by the shattering of glass from downstairs, quickly followed by a scream.</p><p>“Trainer?!” She cried, leaping back over Higgle and practically tumbling down the stairs in her haste.</p><p>“Trainer! Trainer Trainer! What’s wrong, Trainer?!” Her heart was thudding in her chest as she charged down the hallway in a panic, knocking into the little dresser table and scampering into the kitchen. She skidded to a halt across the lino floor, hurriedly assessing everything from the floor, to the walls, to the ceiling.</p><p>Both Trainer and Sparky seemed perfectly fine, and that was good news at least, but one of the windows was broken, and everything was covered in flour! And that was really strange!</p><p>“W-what the?” She squeaked, spinning around three or four times. “Did a thing break?!”</p><p>There was a stomping of heavy footfalls from the hallway as Higgle caught up to her at last. “S-Socks! What is going-”</p><p>“Things are weird, Higgle! I heard a thing break, but I can’t see the breaky thing!”</p><p>“Breaky… thing?” Higgle frowned at her.</p><p>“Yeah, look!” Socks pointed up to the window.</p><p>"Wow!"</p><p>“Oh my word!”</p><p>“It’s okay guys, don’t worry.” Sparky piped up. “It’s just a ball, no biggie.”</p><p>“Yes biggie!” Socks cried. “You and Trainer almost got hurt by that nasty ball!”</p><p>“But we didn’t!” Sparky hit right back.</p><p>“…oh yeah!”</p><p>Meanwhile Holly was dusting flour from herself.</p><p>“…well that’s the cookies ruined.” She sighed, picking up a baseball from the dough. “And they were looking so nice too, huh Sparky?”</p><p>Sparky squeaked up at her in response, and Holly just frowned at the ball. Aside from a pair of faded initials on the membrane, there was nothing unusual about it. “Who on earth is-”</p><p>
  <em>*knock* *knock* *knock*</em>
</p><p>“…that’ll be them.” She put two and two together.</p><p>Ball in one hand, she scooped Sparky up into the other. “Don’t touch, okay you two? Broken stuff!” She said.</p><p>That wasn’t a worry, though. Because Socks and Higgle had taken it among themselves to follow after her.</p><p>“H-here Sparky, hold the ball for me?” She offered Sparky the ball. Her free hand shook as she wrenched the handle down, opening the front door slowly. “H-hello? You’re here for the ball, I take it?”</p><p>“A-yes ma’am. I sure am.” A rough, gravelly voice responded. Standing sheepishly on her front porch, a young man rubbed the back of his neck. “Really sorry ‘bout that, ma’am. Y’see, my buddy can’t catch.”</p><p>With a coy smile, he nudged a thumb over his shoulder at his three Pokémon; a Sudowoodo, trying in vain to hide a baseball bat behind its back, an oblivious looking Kricketune, and a blatantly mortified Gurdurr, burying its face in one hand and staring down at the ground.</p><p>“I uh… didn’t hurt anyone, did I?” The young man asked, his rusty auburn hair drifting in the breeze.</p><p>“Oh nooo, n-not at all.” Holly said. “J-just a few bits of broken glass in the cookies we were gonna bake. Looks like we’ll need to make a fresh batch, huh Sparky?”</p><p>“Moh!” Sparky giggled in response.</p><p>“Well ain’t that a turn up.” The young man wiped his brow. “Thank ya for savin’ the ball, ma’am. I’ll make sure to pay y’all back for the window and err… how’s dinner sound?”</p><p>“D-d-dinner?!” Holly stammered, visibly recoiling. “Wh-wh-why would you want to-”</p><p>“Just a way of sayin’ sorry, ma’am.” The redhead cracked a grin, his brown eyes sparkling. “Name’s Chris, and we jus’ moved here. Wasn’t the way I planned on gettin’ to know m’neighbours, but hey, we’re sure acquainted now huh?”</p><p>“H-Holly…” She mumbled, a rosy tinge dusting her cheeks. “N…” her words were caught. “Nice… to meet you.”</p><p>“Seems like a nice place to live, this here town.” Chris smiled. “Whole lotta quiet.” The two simply stared at nothing in particular for a while, with Socks and Higgle both peering out from behind their trainer.</p><p>Eventually Chris broke the stalemate. “Oh right! Where’re my manners?! Guys, c’mon over here!”</p><p>At his command, the three Pokémon ambled towards him. Sudowoodo was still trying to keep the baseball bat hidden. “This lil’ slugger here is Robbie, or Rob for short!” Chris announced, prying the baseball bat from its hands. “He’s a great hitter, but needs some work on his aim!”</p><p>The Kricketune was next to be introduced. “Here’s m’leadin’ lady Deedles. Been with her since we was tiny, huh girl?” Deedles the Kricketune made a loud whooping noise before its eyes slid back out of focus, and it returned to staring at nothing.</p><p>“And this’s the newcomer. I only caught him a few days ago, so we’re not used’t’each other yet and he ain't got a nickname just yet. Ain’t that right?”</p><p>The quiet looking Gurdurr glanced towards him and nodded shortly.</p><p>“Oh wow…” Holly mumbled. “Such fun nicknames too! So you like the big, brawler types huh?”</p><p>“Pff, naww, I love ‘em all really,” Chris guffawed. “’Sides, Deedles here’s a big wuss. Aint’cha girl?” Deedles made a strange purring noise in his direction, flailing its arms in kind.</p><p>“Heh, silly thing…” She mumbled. “W-well, um, this little one here is Sparky! I caught her about a year ago, not long after we moved to Unova…”</p><p>“Mo-mo!” Sparky chipped in.</p><p>“A-and we have Socks here.” Holly said, gesturing to the Furret hiding behind her legs. Socks’ head instantly popped out at the mention of her name, but she continued to eye this new stranger warily.</p><p>“Such a shy one.” Chris knelt down to look her in the eye. “It’s alright darlin’. No need to be afraid’a me.”</p><p>Socks stared at his slowly extending hand. “I-I don’t like that very much, Higgle.” She mumbled. “This new stranger person is kinda scary, right?”</p><p>“Lady Holly seems to trust him, Socks…” Higgle said. “So perhaps that alone is enough?”</p><p>“…can you check, Higgle?” Socks wasn’t even blinking. “I-if it’s safe, I’ll follow, okay?”</p><p>“What’re you two worried about?!” Sparky called from above. “He’s fine, don’t worry!”</p><p>“…if you insist.” Higgle’s shoulders slumped. He edged out from behind Holly’s legs and carefully approached this mysterious human.</p><p>Chris’ eyebrows rose. “O-oh, okay then! Who’s this one?”</p><p>“Wha? That’s Sir Higglesworth!” Holly gasped. “How odd… he’s not normally this forward…”</p><p>“Quite the gentleman, ain’t he?” Chris said, gently grasping at Higgle’s extended hand and shaking.</p><p>“Y-yes! That’s how he got his name!” Holly giggled.</p><p>Higgle just smiled politely. That was the done thing, he supposed.</p><p>But then Socks charged out from behind Lady Holly thing and ran up to meet this human.</p><p>“Furrfurfurrr~” She tittered in a sing-song voice, wobbling forwards and nuzzling around Higgle in a whirl of fluff. She flinched as Chris’ huge, calloused hand made contact with her head, but then she suddenly realised that the human was nice and gentle, not nasty.</p><p>“Aw, you’re just a big softie,” He grinned, scritching the soft fur on her head. “Alright, now that we got that cleared up… anyone up for a game? C’mon, it’ll be fun!”</p><p>“Wha?! Now?” Holly flustered. “B-but the house is a mess! I can’t be goo-”</p><p>“Aw, ya sure?” Chris’ eyes twinkled. “I promise I won’t break any more windows?”</p><p>“B-but there’s still broken stuff already, and-”</p><p>“And you still got the ball. That means you get to throw first!”</p><p>Holly hung her head in defeat. This man sure was tenacious. Meanwhile all three of her Pokémon were eyeing her. Was the idea of doing something new this exciting? All three of them seemed to be waiting on her decision.</p><p>“…I guess the cleaning can wait.”</p><p>“Alright!” Chris punched a celebratory fist into the air. “Right, y’all head out into the fields over that way! I gotta get some more gear!”</p><p>Quick as a flash, Chris ran off towards another house a few doors down, leaving Holly alone with six unruly Pokémon.</p><p>“Oh jeez, what am I getting myself into…” Holly half-chuckled. “Just a second you guys. Gotta lock the door.”</p><p>Wading blindly back into the house for her keys, she plucked them from the hook, all while keeping half an eye on the gaggle of Pokémon. She broke her gaze for half a second to lock the door. The moment she turned around to check on them, however, a mad scramble had all five of them lining up like a drill team.</p><p>“What were you guys… up to?” She felt a chuckle bubble out of her. At first glance, there was nothing suspicious, aside from how they were behaving. Robbie the Sudowoodo was keeping weirdly close to Higgle, who responded by edging away on a timely basis. Gurdurr’s pylon was half-buried in the ground a few feet away, meanwhile Deedles the Kricketune was just staring up at the sky, and Socks had rushed up to her for another cuddle.</p><p>Holly frowned. Were they enjoying each other’s company or not?</p><p>“Hey there! Everyone gettin’ along?” Higgle flinched as something hard and round was placed onto his head. “Here, sport! You can wear the special catchin’ hat!”</p><p>Completely swamped by it, Higgle examined the headgear thoroughly. Solid to the touch, and almost perfectly round – complete with a dent near the top from some accident or another, he supposed – he spun it around so he could actually see out of it.</p><p>“Heh, Higgle looks like he’s stuck in a Leppa Berry.” Socks giggled, and Sparky roared with laughter in response, prompting a polite chuckle from Robbie the Sudowoodo.</p><p>“Now, we might hafta share the gear, cause I ain’t got enough for everyone.” Chris announced, handing out various things. Socks soon found herself holding a baseball mitt, while Robbie the Sudowoodo looked thrilled to get his bat back, and Gurdurr was given another mitt. “You wanna try catchin’ again?”</p><p>Gurdurr nodded slowly, and Chris turned his attention to Holly. “Your little one… probably ain’t much of a catcher, huh?”</p><p>Robbie the Sudowoodo pumped his baseball bat into the air a few times, meanwhile Holly hesitated.</p><p>“Er… can we work as a team? Sparky’s a bit small for this…”</p><p>Chris shrugged. “Works for me! So how’s your throwin’ arm?”</p><p>“Umm…” Holly retrieved the ball from Sparky, and threw a half-hearted pass to him. “Like that?”</p><p>“Hey, not bad!” He grinned, passing the ball between his hands. “Alrighty then. Prepare yourself, Robbie!”</p><p>His Sudowoodo snapped to attention. “Wuud?!”</p><p>The smattering of Pokémon and people alike scrambled into some semblance of organised, with Higgle taking position behind Robbie as catcher, Holly out in left field with Sparky, Deedles on the right, Chris on the pitcher’s mound, and Socks bounding about with the mitt on her head.</p><p>Robbie’s bat glinted in the afternoon sunlight.</p><p>“You ready bro?” He glanced back at Higgle. “You gotta catch that ball if I miss, dude. I ain’t gonna miss though.”</p><p>“I-I can certainly try…” Higgle said slowly, squinting through the helmet.</p><p>“Alright, watch me shred this ball, Higgledude.” Robbie smirked. Meanwhile Higgle just frowned at him.</p><p>“Alrighty, Robbie looks like he’s ready.” Chris fired an identical smirk back at the Sudowoodo. “No more broken windows this time, got it?”</p><p>Robbie rolled his eyes as Chris readied himself, cupping one hand behind the other and taking aim. There was a solid thwack as Robbie smacked the baseball, sending it arcing off towards right field.</p><p>“It’s yours, Deedles!” Chris shouted, as Robbie wobbled off towards A sweater on the floor, meanwhile Deedles just looked back at him in obvious confusion. The ball boinked her on the head, and Robbie cleared first base, carrying on towards the trash lid for second. Chris massaged his forehead, meanwhile Deedles was trying to scoop the ball up between her scythes.</p><p>“Woop!” Deedles cried, clutching at the ball and volleying it back towards the centre field, where Chris ran for it. He was stopped in his tracks, however, by the sight of Socks jumping out of nowhere, blindly flailing her little paws at it. She fell back to the ground without catching anything, however…</p><p>“A-hah! That’s the spirit!” He roared, doubled over. Socks just looked at him, and he reached into the mitt she was wearing as a hat. Out of it came the baseball. And Socks’ eyes lit up.</p><p>“Oh!? Did Socks catch the ball?!” Holly cried, dashing over to her Furret. “Ohh, well done Socks! You did so good!”</p><p>Socks took an opportunity to nuzzle her trainer, and Holly straightened up again.</p><p>“So… your turn to catch?” Chris smiled.</p><p>“…I’ll give it a shot?” She grimaced, nudging Sparky up onto her shoulder and approaching the batting mound. “You gonna cover for me, Sir Higglesworth?” She glanced back at him, who gave a thumbs up in return.</p><hr/><p>…and a game was had. There weren’t enough players for teams or even base guards, rather just playing for the sake of playing. Fun was fun, after all. The three most able hitters; Holly, Chris and Robbie the Sudowoodo, took their turns, while Higgle would attempt both batting and throwing on occasion. He lacked power, but his accuracy was second to none.</p><p>Socks and Deedles made their best attempts at fielding, while Sparky was Holly’s little mascot, helping out wherever she could. Like the one time Holly threw the little Emolga into the air so she could catch the ball.</p><p>Gurdurr didn’t seem to be enjoying the same as much as everyone else, however. Packing too much raw power to throw the ball accurately, and panicking whenever it came to catching, his spirits deflated quickly. He steeped his beam and massaged his forehead. Socks tumbled past, the baseball mitt still comfortably ensconced on her head, and made sure to nuzzle against him.</p><p>“You can do it, Mr Grr!” She chirped, bounding past. “You almost got that one!”</p><p>Grr’s expression softened. If this relative stranger could hold so much belief in him, maybe it was possible after all...</p><hr/><p>With the sun descending through the evening skies, dyeing the atmosphere a vivid hue of orange through purple, the game was finally drawing to a close.</p><p>
  <em>*Thock!*</em>
</p><p>“Oh dang, good throw there…” Chris panted, wiping sweat from his brow and winking at Higgle behind him. “Alright, last hit of the night? It’s gettin’ kinda late…”</p><p>“Fine by me.” Holly smiled, receiving the ball from Higgle and readying her stance. “I guess I’d better made this a good one eh?”</p><p>Turning the ball in her hands, she limbered up her shoulder and took careful aim. Her joints were starting to ache, and she couldn’t match Chris’ sheer power when it came to throwing, but after a few hours of this, she was finally starting to get the hang of it.</p><p>She could even throw over-arm now!</p><p>Taking in a deep breath, she launched the ball towards Chris, who timed perfectly and hit it with the width of the bat. It bounced off metallically and hurtled into the air.</p><p>“Oh, it’s outta here!” He grinned up at it. It careered towards right-field as Chris dropped his bat and charged for first base, while Socks bounced off after it. And Gurdurr gulped.</p><p>“Ohh, I’ll not catch it…” he sighed, holding both hands up at the ball rocketed closer. Socks scrabbled to a halt, and Gurdurr braced for the worst as the spotlight focused on him.</p><p>A soft weight thudded into his hands.</p><p>Gasping gently, he lowered shaky hands. Clasped desperately inside of his mitt was the ball.</p><p>“I… I caught it.” He muttered to no one, a smile breaking across his face. “I caught the ball, sir!”</p><p>“Oh! Well done, Gurdurr!” Chris yelled over to him, letting loose a shrill whistle. “I knew ya could do it, buddy!”</p><p>Cheering smattered from the others, as the little group gravitated back towards the centre of the field again.</p><p>“Wow, that had to be the most fun I've had in ages...” Holly stretched her tired joints. Sparky squeaked up at her, and Holly looked over to a still energetic looking Chris. “A-and it’s all thanks to you, for talking me into it.”</p><p>“Not a problem.” He smiled warmly, gathering the various gear from everyone. “I just broke yer window, that’s all.”</p><p>“True…” Holly said, suddenly clamming up. “W-well… m-m-maybe I will take that dinner after all?”</p><p>Chris visibly stumbled back in response, dropping half of the gear he had collected. “Hunh?! You will?”</p><p>“A promise is a promise… r-right?” She stammered, a rosy pink dusting her cheeks.</p><p>“Hah. One I’d be honoured to keep.” Chris grinned. He extended a hand, which Holly met. A surprisingly strong yet gentle grip.</p><p>“Sure is great, bein’ able to play a rad game of ball with more than just the four of us.” Robbie the Sudowoodo somehow sounded enthusiastic and deadpan at the same time.</p><p>“Ain’t that right, Deeds?” The Kricketune whooped in acknowledgement, nodding fervently, and Rab turned to Gurdurr.</p><p>“My bro! You caught the ball! Awesome work, dude.”</p><p>“I… I did, yeah.” Gurdurr responded, as if he still couldn’t believe it.</p><p>“A-and I have you to thank, if I’m not mistaken?” Eyes turned to Higgle, who balked from the sudden attention.</p><p>“W-what?” Higgle balked, a smile creeping at the corner of his mouth.</p><p>“Did you… help Mr Grr catch the ball, Higgle?” Socks said.</p><p>“O-of course not!” Higgle smiled widely. “He caught the ball by himself! How could I h-help from such a distance, Socks?”</p><p>Higgle’s heart skipped, however, as energy began welling up from inside of him. “W-what on earth?”</p><p>Glancing around, he could feel the panic throbbing through his veins. That was until he realised that he wasn’t alone, however. His skin started to glow, far brighter than the setting sun, and glowing along with him was Gurdurr.</p><p>“Higgle? What’s happening Higgle?!” Socks cried, dashing madly around him.</p><p>“It is alright Socks, do not worry.” Higgle smiled, his voice deepening as both he and Gurdurr simultaneously exploded in a column of light, illuminating most of the town.</p><p>Lights flickered on in several of the houses surrounding them, and Holly finally noticed, elbowing Chris for attention.</p><p>“Oh wow…” Tears sparkled in her eyes. “Sir Higglesworth, you’re finally evolving! It’s been so long…!”</p><p>“Looks like we’re officially friends, huh?” Chris elbowed her back.</p><p>“Huh? A… a friend? That was all it took?” Holly gasped. “I-I thought I just wasn’t training him well enough! After all these years…!” The light finally died down, and the newly evolved Alakazam barely had time to look around before Holly threw herself at him, pulling him into her embrace.</p><p>“Ohh, Sir Higglesworth!” She sniffled into his shoulder. “It’s been so long! How do you feel?!” </p><p>Eyes wide and staring, Higgle just returned the hug, finally able to reach all the way around her. “I feel fantastic, Lady Holly.”</p><p>“I-I wasn’t a bad trainer after all…!” Holly moped, tears streaming down her cheeks.</p><p>“Bad trainer? You kiddin’?” Chris said. “These little guys adore ya! How can you be a bad trainer?!”</p><p>He turned around to face his freshly evolved Conkeldurr and offered it a fist bump. “Heh. You sure are keen, aren’cha? I only caught you the other day! Now I definitely gotta name ya!"</p><p>Conkeldurr managed a weak smile, before getting bombarded on either side by Deedles and Robbie.</p><p>“Hah, looks like the gang’s all here,” Chris smiled. “How you guys likin’ him now?”</p><p>Deedles flapped her wings a few times in response, while Robbie used a trick he’d picked up from Higgle; a thumbs up.</p><p>“Ahah, that’s awesome.” Chris chuckled. “Welp, I reckon we should get home, huh?”</p><p>“Wait, you’re leaving?”</p><p>Spinning around on the spot, Chris spied Holly, still with her arms wrapped around Higgle, Sparky on her shoulder, and Socks nuzzling against her leg.</p><p>“If uh… if you want, you can come over to my place?” She blushed furiously again. “I mean, the Pokémon can play together, and we can… t-talk about things…?”</p><p>Chris brushed hair out of his eyes. “…well sure, I’d like that. Lead the way!”</p><p>“O-okay!” Holly smiled, separating from Higgle at last. Fishing her keys out of her pocket, she led the ragtag group back towards her house. “</p><p>Hahah, look Higgle! TWO spoons!” Socks roared with laughter. “Now you can have twice as much breakfast!”</p><p>Higgle just smiled softly. “…perhaps I shall, Socks.”</p><p>Holly wrestled with the dodgy lock on her front door, and Deedles the Kricketune suddenly perked up, pointing at her and flapping her wings.</p><p>“Huh? What’s that Deedles?” Chris frowned, following her gaze. “Ohh, right. Nah, she don’t fly, don't worry girl. Hey, you know about the stuff on your back, right?”</p><p>“The wha?” Holly asked, glancing back over her shoulder and noticing the patches of white. “…oh yeah, that was from earlier. Silly Pidove...”</p><p>A smiling Holly persuaded her front door open at last, welcoming guests into her home for the first time in years. Because sometimes when a door closes, a window opens.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey there everyone. That's Wings finally finished. </p><p>I figured it'd be fun to end the fic with something nice, after all the nasty stuff Holly and particularly Sparky went through. </p><p>So why not a baseball game?</p><p>Sure, I don't play it, and barely know the rules, so this is just a casual game. If it's not entirely accurate, that's why lol.</p><p>Anyways, thanks for reading this with me. You're all stars. :)</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Pokemon Day guys. </p><p>I figured I'd post a rewrite of an old fic from several years ago. The original, while flawed, had heart and promise, so I figured I could get it to shine properly if I polish it a wee bit. </p><p>Anyways, thanks for reading. I'll be able to update pretty quickly thanks to having most of the plot stuff already written. Feel free to leave feedback if you've got any. :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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